The Last Time I Saw Her
by obsession.is.hope
Summary: Paily AU: After leaving Rosewood 8 years ago, Paige McCullers finds herself being assigned to a case which requires her to face her past. With the sudden appearance of Emily Fields, Paige is forced to confront past memories. Will Paige finally be able to admit her true feelings for the brunette or will she continue on like she was trained to do?
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pretty Little Liars or any of its characters**

 *****8 Years Ago*****

It was barely audible, but Paige allowed her curiosity to get the best of her. Slowly closing the heavy locker room door from behind her, the auburn girl slightly raised her eyebrows in hope as she began making her way toward the shower area. The brown eye beauty could have sworn it was the piping system acting up yet again, however refused to have that wavering feeling remain on her conscious later on. Gripping the bouquet of daffodils and gardenias tighter, Paige readjusted the dark leather anchor bracelet being used as ribbon around them before slightly biting her lower lip in anticipation of finding the brunette she's been longing for.

Taking in a deep breath, the auburn girl hoped the chlorine filled air would somehow miraculously calm her nerves; give her the courage she's been searching for in the past few weeks to finally come clean about her true intentions for a certain bronze beauty. Silently praying today would be the day she'd remember for years on end, Paige didn't quite realize how precise she was about to be.

It was the drop in her chest she felt first; followed instantly by the sudden feeling of her throat constricting. As much as she wanted to, the brown eye beauty couldn't move. She couldn't speak. She couldn't breathe. All she was able to do was watch. Watch in agony. Watch in humility. Watch in duplicity. Everything happened as though it was in slow motion, yet she couldn't do anything to stop it.

There had seemed to be some hesitancy at first; but that quickly changed. Paige watched as Emily broke the kiss briefly before lightly grazing the shorter woman's lips. Watching as the tanned beauty shifted her gaze from the girl's pink lips toward her cerulean eyes; Paige parted her lips in agony as the brunette leaned in to fully devour the girl's mouth yet again.

Clenching her jaw, the sound Paige had heard earlier suddenly became more apparent. It wasn't the drain. It was their moans. Outwardly emotionless, pools of tears began forming in the auburn girl's eyes; though she was too stubborn to allow them to fall. Instead of turning away, she watched. She watched as Emily dug her hands into the girl's dirty blonde hair before pinning her against the hard metal of lockers behind them. She watched as Emily hips held the blue eye beauty in place just as the brunette's hands began exploring the shorter woman's curves. She watched as Emily lightly grazed the hem of the lighter brunette's rose camisole before fully imbedding her hands under the paler woman's top.

Despite trying to use all her willpower to look away, Paige couldn't. It wasn't until Paige saw the blonde beauty's fingers trail downward toward the hem of the brunette's shorts did the auburn girl allow a tear to finally fall. Feeling her gut tighten, a shot of shivers instantly swept across her body. Taking in a shaky breath, Paige finally closed her eyes as she turned away. Trying to gain back some of her composure, the auburn girl looked up for some relief.

Finding herself somehow moving toward the exit, Paige couldn't help but look at the pair one last time through the full length mirror right by the door. Shifting her gaze away, the auburn girl then looked directly at herself before shakenly swallowing to hold back her pain.

She really was a joke to the universe wasn't she? With her out of date bob haircut and straight bangs; Emily Fields would never find a girl like her remotely attractive. Her mother's hand me downs that hid away her insecure teenage body definitely didn't help along with her black plastic Arabella glasses which were a size too big for the frame of her face.

Paige really did think she had a shot to be with Emily. She knew she didn't have the "right" looks, but she had the personality. The brown eye beauty was definitely a rarity among her friends. Paige found herself connecting with practically anyone. However, there were two ends of that spectrum. On one end she had Emily. They didn't have the typical friendship she had shared with everyone else. When she and Emily were together, it was as though everything made sense even though they were too young to even know what that meant. The two had the ability to just know what the other was thinking and be able to comfort the other without even asking. They were always in sync no matter if they were in the same room or complete opposite ends of the hallway. On the other end of the spectrum was Alison Dilaurentis, the girl who made her life a living hell for the last few months; the girl who had driven her to hate herself for being who she was. Alison wasn't just a bully. Bully was far too good of a word for what Alison was to Paige; the girl was a monster.

Throughout senior year of high school, Alison knew how Paige felt for Emily. The blue eye beauty knew what Paige felt for Emily before Paige even knew what she was feeling. But instead of helping her, Alison made Paige feel as though Emily would resent her; feel disgusted toward her. So Paige did what anyone would do her situation, she hid.

Forcefully masking every emotion she had for the brunette, Paige had figured maybe she could remain Emily's friend then nothing at all. Every time she felt like she was going to lean in to kiss the girl, Paige stopped herself before physically reprimanding herself for even thinking of touching the girl. Every time she felt elated when Emily asked for them to just hangout one on one, Paige looked at herself in the mirror before realizing a girl like Emily would never want her.

Paige always suppressed her hatred toward Alison for the sake of Emily, but the brunette knew of their history. What she didn't know, was the extent of that hatred. It wasn't until Paige confided in Emily one evening of how far Alison managed to push her to hate herself for being who she was did Emily really realize Paige's side of things; or so the auburn girl thought. Paige knew Alison was Emily's first love. She never understood it, but you never really have any control over the person you tend to fall for. So Paige did what every other friend would do. She listened and understood the turmoil the brunette had.

Yet before her stood the two ends of that spectrum; in each other arms. Glancing over at the pair once more, Paige pushed herself against the locker room door as she tossed the bouquet of flowers in the nearest black garbage bin and finally walked away.

* * *

 *****Present Day*****

"Memories are a fickle little thing, aren't they?"

Easing her grip she currently sported on metal handrail, Paige lightly cleared her throat as the sound of a familiar voice broke her train of thought. Keeping her focus on the Olympic size swimming pool before her, the brown eye beauty didn't need to turn around to acknowledge the sudden appearance of her team member.

"I mean, during an exam, we hope to recall our past classes to secure our futures. Throughout a debate we have this confidence to elicit past circumstances to make a persuasive argument. Even during an evening out we somehow recall a past memory by just a mere taste…or smell" the voice continued as it came closer toward Paige. Feeling her comrade's presence now to her right, the auburn girl straightened her back as she continued listening without making eye contact.

"One of the most fascinating factors about memories is that they are easily triggered by practically anything. Like the smell of chlorine" the tall brunette stated before leaning her right arm against the handrail and readjusting her body to finally focus on Paige. "One day McCullers. I'm going to find out why you keep coming here and put yourself through this painful memory of yours".

Finally turning to acknowledge the hazel eye brunette, Paige responded. "Maybe, but that won't be today. What's going on? The only time I've ever seen you in this room was when you trying to get a sneak peek of the physical delights Nick had a few months back."

Letting out a laugh, Skyler couldn't disagree with the accusation made against her. Nodding her head in agreement, the beauty agreed. "I will not deny that. Director Adams is asking for us to meet in the conference hall ASAP. I think we're getting another assignment".

"Already?" Paige asked confused. "We literally just wrapped up the Hepner case an hour ago."

Putting her hands up in defeat, Sklyer began walking backwards toward the exit. "I don't make the rules, I just follow. The guys are on their way as we speak. But it looks like it's really important to him since he asked for us specifically".

Nodding her head in acknowledgement, Paige pushed herself off the railing and began following suit. "Well good thing we didn't leave grounds just yet".

"Tell that to the guys. I think they were about 40 minutes out of Scranton. And with the holiday weekend, I'm pretty positive they're going to be crankier then the Soup Nazi during lunch rush hour" Skylar stated as Paige laughed at how probable it was the brunette was in fact correct.

* * *

"Thank you for joining me this evening" the fair grey hair man began as he stood before the team. "I know, it was promised to you that you could take a week off without any disturbance since the last case took an unusual turn. However, you were personally requested to take charge of this particular case" he continued in a deep tone. "In front of you, you each will find a file with the incident details and the victim that is currently priority".

"Montgomery. Is she the daughter of a senator or representative?" Aiden asked as he opened the vanilla file in front of him.

"No. She is the daughter of a Professor at Hollis College and a teacher at Rosewood High School" Director Adams answered as he turned to flip on the projector.

"Rosewood High School? P- didn't you go there?" David asked as the rest of the team turned to face the auburn girl.

Feeling the gaze of her team members on her, Paige focused even harder on the file in front of her; she knew exactly who the missing victim was before even opening the file. Paige instantly felt the small blood vessels in her ears beat harder as her heart rate increased when it became more and more apparent she was about to have a blast from the past. Finally opening the folder, the auburn girl simply responded, "yes". Swallowing to help ease the sudden pressure in her throat, Paige knew if one of the girls were involved the other three were not far behind.

"And it says she's 26. Do you know Ms. Montgomery?" Dylan followed up as he focused on the file before him.

Arching an eyebrow as she finally looked up from the file, Paige looked at her team. "Yes, I did. Director, who exactly requested us? We normally don't focus our attention on a missing person's case" Paige asked as she looked at the sturdy older man in the eyes. The brown eye beauty knew exactly who requested her, but she needed to verify her assumptions rather than simply presume.

"Commander Fields, Officer McCullers" the middle aged man replied. Turning his attention back toward the front, Director Adams projected a picture of the Montgomery residence. A residence Paige was all too familiar with. "Aria Montgomery was taken while she was visiting her parents for her mother's 50th birthday two days ago". Flipping to the next picture of the family's living room after the incident took place, the well-built man continued. "The attacked happened after majority of the guests left for the evening. Given the fact that the doors were unlocked for the invitees, there is no evidence that was retrieved from the scene of who it could possibly be. There has been no direct contact from the kidnapper or demands at the moment. I will need the five of you to visit the Montgomery residence and begin your search from there".

"Sir, we've been highly trained with weaponry, hand to hand combat and by some of the top intelligence units out there. Why were we chosen to do a missing persons case?" Aiden asked confused.

"Because of this" the director stated as he clicked to the next picture. "I assume you all remember this symbol" the experienced man asked as he looked onto the unit. The team watched in shock as a simple blue triangle appeared before them. "It was spray painted on Ms. Montgomery's bedroom window."

"There's always more to the story" Dylan responded as he continued watching the picture.

"Do you think it's retaliation from the Caminiti Cartel?" Paige asked as she looked on in curiosity.

"By kidnapping a seemingly random girl from her mother's 50th birthday party?" Skylar asked. "I doubt it. But it does look like they had been planning the attack for some time given the fact that they knew when the party was, what time to attack and what to leave behind".

Shutting down the projector, Director Adams focused his attention back on the unit before him. "Whatever the case may be, I need you to start as soon as possible. Rosewood PD has been informed you are coming to take over the case. Espinoza will be your point person for all communication needed in Rosewood and Commander Mahoney will be you're commanding officer. If this is related to the Caminiti Cartel, you know it will extend far beyond Pennsylvania. On your command, we will oblige with any of the necessary tools and weaponry you may need. Any questions?"

Closing their folders, the unit replied as one. "No, sir" as they all stood up.

"Very well. Good luck to you all. Know this is a time sensitive matter. Be swift but diligent" the director stated before leaving the unit amongst themselves.

As the team gathered their belongings, Skylar looked to her left at the auburn girl. "So did you know Aria well?"

Paige knew the team was going to hound her with questions. High School wasn't her biggest achievement in life. If anything, she wanted to erase it from her history. But this was her team, it was her family. They knew basically everything about each other. She couldn't hide this from them, especially since the case revolved around one of her old classmates. "I didn't know her really well, but we did hang out with the same crowd. Aria was part of a clique back in High School. There were 4 girls in total." Paige responded as she looked to her team. Grabbing their attention she continued as she leaned against the conference room table. "The other three girls are Spencer Hastings, Hanna Marin and Emily Fields. Since Aria is missing, you can guarantee those girls are going to try to get involved to find her".

"Or they may be the reason why she's missing" David stated.

"No, never. Those girls love each more than anything" Paige quickly retorted as she pushed herself off the table. "I mean, I don't know their history past high school, but from what I remember those girls are practically family".

"You said Emily Fields before" Dylan realized. "In relation to Commander Fields?"

"Yes" Paige nodded. "She's his daughter".

"Are you the reason why he asked for us to be on this case?" Aiden asked as the group began making their way to the exit.

"I'm honestly not sure. I had lost contact with him once I left Rosewood" Paige answered truthfully.

"Maybe his daughter asked for you" Skylar replied.

Feeling a familiar tension in her stomach, Paige took in a deep breath to cover it. "I doubt it. The girls don't know about my whereabouts after high school. I left in the middle of senior year with no intention of going back there".

"Why?" Skylar asked as she opened the door to exit the large state office building.

Exiting along with her team, Paige knew the question was coming. "I wasn't exactly your typical popular high school teen. I definitely didn't look like one of those girls, but I was their friend; most of them anyway. I wanted to get out of high school as fast as possible. So I did".

"Uh huh" Skylar responded as she looked at Paige with a side glance. She knew the auburn girl was hiding something, but she didn't know what. With time she'd find out.

* * *

Closing her arched panel dark grey door from behind her, Paige discarded her olive green Filson messenger bag from around her as she placed on the Wilsonart Calcutta marble textured kitchen island before heading inside the kitchen. Not bothering to put on the lights, the auburn girl knew the illuminations coming through the floor to ceiling windows were enough to allow her to move around without worries. Opening the black wooden cabinet next to the fridge, Paige pulled out one of her whiskey glasses before walking over to her stainless steel side by side fridge and pulling out a few whiskey stones; placing them in her glass. After today's events, anyone would want a much needed drink. Walking toward the cabinet to the right of the stove, Paige pulled out a bottle Bulleit. Pouring a generous amount into her glass, the auburn closed back the bottle before walking over to the living room area.

Silence. With Paige's current occupation, having something as simple as quietness was just a scarcity. Combing back her long wavy highlighted auburn hair with her left hand, Paige finally took a sip of her whiskey neat. Slowly swallowing the liquid relaxer, the brown eye beauty licked her lips in satisfaction before placing the glass down on the nearest oasis end table.

One of the affirmative effects of being among perfect silence is not only can you hear yourself think, but you could hear practically anything; even the faint of breath of someone sitting a few feet away from you. Picking up one of the whiskey stones from her glass, Paige grazed it along her lips. Biting her bottom lip lightly, the auburn girl then tossed the stone in the air as she walked toward the center of the window before tossing the stone up once again.

But instead of catching it this time, the brown eye beauty did a midair 360 kick with it as it shot toward the intruders Corona beer bottle; ultimately shattering it in his hands. As the man sprang out of his seat, Paige used the opportunity to rush over to him and use the heel of her palm to strike him below the chin before grabbing the man's wrist on his right hand and applying pressure to bring him toward the ground.

The lack of resistance shown by the raven hair intruder, gave off the vibe he wasn't there to cause any harm; which ultimately allowed Paige loosen her grip. As she did, a certain familiarity began coming to play; yet Paige remained silent. Watching as the man slowly turn his head, Paige instantly got off him realizing it who it was.

"So besides the fact that you look like you could completely kick my ass, you really can actually kick my ass. With a pebble no less" the raven hair man stated as he slowly got to his feet.

Allowing a small smirk to dance across her lips, Paige couldn't hide the overwhelming feeling of content that surged throughout her body as finally made eye contact with the familiar face. "I won't deny that"

The moment a smile tugged at their lips, the two couldn't help but just engulf each other in an overdue hug. Paige would never refute missing the man before her. He was her rock in high school. He was the reason why she even made it through majority of her freshman and sophomore year. But she became selfish and cowardly; running from everything that ever meant anything to her.

"Geez, how long has it been?" Caleb asked as he broke the hug yet continued holding Paige's shoulders.

"8 years" Paige answered as she nodded her in agreement. Feeling a sudden wave of self-loathing take over, Paige broke contact with her old friend as made her way back into the kitchen.

Knowing full well how long it's been, Caleb nodded his head as he repeated the auburn girl. "8 years. And it's taken Aria to be kidnapped for me to actually see you".

"Caleb" Paige stated as she turned around to look him in the eyes before continuing back to the kitchen. Grabbing another cup from her cabinet, Paige grabbed a few more whiskey stones from the freezer before pouring a generous amount of whiskey into the glass.

"You didn't just walk away from her" the raven hair man simply responded as he looked down. "You walked away from all of us. You walked away from me"

Taking in a deep breath, Paige closed her eyes to compose herself. Letting it out, Paige made her way back toward the living room where she handed over the glass to her distressed friend before moving swiftly to the area where she shattered the Corona bottle. "I know" Paige began as she began cleaning up the mess she made earlier. "I acted as every other heartbroken 17 year old would act. But it's done. I can't change the past."

Caleb knew the sudden reappearance of the beauty's past was probably taking a toll on the auburn girl's conscious at that moment, so he decided to change the subject back to why he was there. "The girls don't know you're involved in the case just yet"

"No?" Paige asked as she finished cleaning and stood up to face her lean friend. "Well that's surprising" Paige continued as she walked to the kitchen to throw out the fragments of shattered glass.

Taking a sip of his whiskey, Caleb answered. "I'm pretty positive they'll find out in no time. They found out a special ops team was going to take over the case so Hanna asked me to infiltrate the system to find out who exactly will be handling the incident". Walking toward the seat he was in earlier, Caleb sat down as he continued. "Of course the girls were all together by time I got my findings so when I got to your file, I had to lie and say there wasn't a lot of information on you just yet"

"Because saying there's not a lot of information on someone dealing with their missing friend's case won't raise any red flags right?" Paige asked as she took a seat on the matching Orrin loveseat near Caleb. "But thank you. My team is one of the best teams out there. We're going to find Aria and bring her back.

"Do you guys have any leads?" Caleb asked.

"Not yet. We were only handed the case a few hours ago" Paige answered truthfully. "We're still reading up on all the facts we have but we're going to head over to Rosewood around noon to check out the scene for ourselves. We'll try and take it from there"

A comfortable silence fell upon the two. It began feeling as though they were back to being the same Paige and Caleb everyone knew. Swallowing the lump that currently formed in Caleb's throat, he needed to confide in his friend. "You should have seen Hanna. You should have seen the girls Paige" Caleb began as he took another sip of his drink. "I have never seen them like that. If anything happens-"

"Hey" Paige quietly said as she interrupted Caleb. Grabbing his forearm, she held on to her friend; searching his teary eyes before she continued. "We are going to find Aria okay? I promise you. We are going to bring her home"


	2. Chapter 2

Hey guys! I want to thank everyone who read the story so far, it means a lot. Please continue with the reviews/PMs…it gives me motivation!

 **Guests'/caligurl18/Medfreak/siophiefandom/warrior29** – it feels great to be back! Thank you so much for reviewing! I hope the story doesn't disappoint

 **Pailyanchormcfields** – I love the questions! You're going to have to trust me just a bit here…everything will be revealed eventually. But feel free to PM me with any thoughts or assumptions you think of.

 **Dee-Skystars** – Hey there! I'm glad you finally decided to write to me. Just the notion you liked my first story and now second means a ton. I always get inspired to write more when I know people actually like what I'm writing. Hope to hear what you think going forward.

 **Thecatfromaliceinwonderland** – Hey there stranger! I got your PM like you promised…and I promise I'll respond to you soon! But yes, it's safe to assume I'll be updating every Friday just like my last story. I hope it does capture your interest! And I didn't even realize I used Police Academy Mahoney, but now I can't laughing. So thank you for that!

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Pretty Little Liars or any of its characters**

Stepping out of the black Lincoln MKX SUV, Paige took in a deep breath as she looked at the large Victorian house before her on 301 Sunnybrook Lane; absolutely nothing had changed. Slowly making her way up the front driveway, Paige kept her eyes on the dark purple and pale yellow paneling as past memories began flooding back. The house was still surrounded by bushes while a large pine tree stood tall to the right of it. Paige could feel a small smile crawl across her lips as her eyes traveled across the surface of the Montgomery residence; that was until they landed on the same blue triangle she saw back at headquarters. Scrunching her eyebrows at the sight of it, the auburn girl began making her way toward the front door of the residence as she spotted a well-built officer protecting the doorway.

"Espinoza I presume?" Paige asked first as she raised her right hand to give the man a handshake.

Immediately taking off his dark aviator glasses at the sight of the team, the muscular man stepped forward to meet Paige's shake. "Yes. I assume you're the squad from Washington?"

"That's correct" Aiden quickly answered as he stepped forward to give the middle aged man a handshake. "Are the Montgomery's home at this time?"

"They're down at the station right now answering some questions" Espinoza replied as he led the way inside the house. "But you could send one of your team members down there as well to save some time if you'd like. I have a squad car that could take them directly there and back".

Nodding in agreement, Aiden looked back at his team before accepting the offer. "Dave. Go with Espinoza's Officers to the station. The Montgomery's are there". Turning back to face the lead contact, Aiden continued. "Is there anything we need to know before we start looking around?"

"The guests mainly stayed within the living room area and kitchen area" the officer started as he directed the group toward the two areas. "According to Byron Montgomery, he recognized everyone that was here. However that's not saying much since the front door leads directly to the staircase which leads to the missing victim's room"

Abruptly turning toward the staircase, Aiden watched as Paige was ready to start investigating upstairs. Giving a final handshake to Espinoza, the closely shaven man took to his team as he formulated a plan. "Paige, Skylar. Scout out upstairs. You know the drill. Take pictures of everything. Dust everything. Take samples of anything that looks out of place. Dylan, do the same down here. I'm going to take a look at the neighborhood to see if anyone has any security cameras we could use to try to find our culprit. We'll meet back up in 2 hours. Agree?"

In unison, the team agreed before making their way toward their respective places. Paige began walking up the stairs slowly as though she was scared someone from her past was going to jump out at her; but she was alone. Carefully opening the bedroom door she once slept over in, Paige dusted off the door handle first before taking a quick sample and pictures. Turning to face the large windows, the auburn girl felt herself take in a deep breath as she felt no time had passed.

"How does it feel to be back?" Skylar asked from the auburn girl's side as she made her way toward the window seat.

Walking forward toward the desk area, Paige gently grazed the surface before answering. "A bit surreal actually. I never really had a plan to come back here"

Scrunching her eyebrows in confusion, the hazel eye beauty looked at Paige before placing a few pillows in her large black garbage bag. "Why? It's your home"

"One of the most influential pillars that holds your very foundation begins at home; it's what shapes our lives" Paige stated as though it was rehearsed. Unplugging Aria's Apple laptop, Paige placed it gently in the bag before helping Skylar with the throw pillows.

"Given the way you turned out, I'd be pretty happy to call this my home then" the beauty stated as she began looking for a spray can that created the triangle on the window.

"That could be debatable" Paige retorted as she began dusting the floor ever so lightly to get any foot prints. "There is just a lot of history here for me. I was a completely different person"

"Well, you've got my attention" Skylar replied with a smile. "How different could Paige McCullers have been?"

"How different can teens be?" Paige quickly countered.

"I can't wait to meet your friends" Skylar sarcastically replied before tying up one of her bags.

Arching an eyebrow at the last statement, the auburn girl continued dusting the floor as she mumbled back, "I can"

* * *

At a half past 6, the team finally made their way toward the Rosewood PD station. Giving all their samples and pictures to the forensic unit, the team figured they could use a quick practice as they were already in the training field. Placing all their belongings by the wired fence, the team gathered in a circle before Dylan tapped Paige as the two were the first to go for practice. Unzipping her black leather bomber jacket, Paige revealed her olive green cross strap cami bra she used to train in before completely removing her jacket to get more comfortable.

Carefully watching each other's movements, the two skillfully put their arms in defense mode ready to attack. "Alright McCullers, let me see you defend your home turf" Dylan started with a hint of mockery in his voice.

"This isn't my home anymore" Paige simply replied as she watched her slim team member continue his prowl.

Dylan was the first to strike a punch as he aimed for Paige's chest but was quickly blocked as the auburn girl quickly used her left hand to defend herself. With Dylan trying again, Paige instead held the sandy man's wrist with her left hand as she tried bringing him to the ground; however failing as the slim man twisted under her hold to break free. Coming at her with a side kick, Paige held her ground as she managed to hold the man's leg with her left hand before forcefully smashing her right palm into the man's chest to throw him onto the ground as she ended it with a chock hold to force the younger man to yield.

After finally gaining his composure, Dylan held his neck as he responded to his defeat. "Damn McCullers. Where the hell did that come from?"

Smiling to herself as she brushed herself off, Paige turned to her right as she heard Dave haughtily state, "Got some anger issues we need to talk about?"

About to respond to the smug statement made against her, the auburn girl suddenly froze as she heard a familiar voice scream out from behind her.

"What the hell Paige?"

* * *

 *****9 years ago*****

"What the hell Paige?" the auburn girl heard Spencer scream toward her left as she kept her eyes firmly in front of her; cheering on with the rest of Rosewood High swim fans.

"What?" Paige responded confused as she tried clapping harder to support her own team.

Watching in complete awe as the crowd got to their feet in last second, Spencer screamed out. "What did you do to Emily?"

"What do you mean?" Paige asked as she scrunched her eyebrows before glancing over to the slim brunette. "The girl just dominated the race!"

"Exactly!" Spencer exclaimed in excitement as she couldn't help but jump a little as she watched Emily pull herself out of the water and into the embrace of her swim team. "I mean she was a beast before, but I don't even know what you called what she just did!" Continuing clapping, Spencer turned toward the auburn girl as she continued. "You don't even swim! You don't even run! How did you get her to surpass not only her own but the national record?"

Smiling a bit to herself, Paige was proud she could help when it came to the brunette. "It's all about math and science. Em just needed to find the best technique for her to take on the lowest number of strokes without losing her speed. She just had to change her DPS slightly"

Cocking her eyebrow in complete perplexity, Aria turned toward the auburn for clarification. "Uh…DPS?"

"Distance Per Stroke" Paige explained. "It depends on how many cycles she could do within a certain amount of time dependent on her strokes. Therefore, if she increases her stroke per a second she increases the time she could complete a cycle. The fewer strokes she has per a cycle gives her more speed to complete the distance" the brown eye genius continued as she watched in bliss at how overjoyed Emily was. "Em already had the perfect body position and breathing technique. She just needed to work on her strokes to make the ultimate balance at perfecting her time."

Nodding her head as Paige explained her own brilliance to the group; Spencer couldn't help but smirk a bit. "Right. The more you talk, the more I realize you really did deserve that win in Washington for the Intel science talent search."

"Of course I did" the auburn girl bluntly replied. "What? You really thought your analysis on the strength of magnetism under fluctuating temperatures was going to beat my analysis on determining how the Th2-dominated immune responds to the Helminth infection which would in turn lead to the activation of AAMs? Really? Were you watching Batman vs Superman with Hanna again?" Paige asked rhetorically.

"Hey! I'm pretty sure I should take offense to that" Hanna exclaimed as she chimed in.

"I'm not going undermine anything that gives me even a dent of inspiration" Spencer calmly responded as she tried defending her actions. "Plus, Superman eludes science. I wouldn't put it past it if 45% of the student population turned to him as a science fair muse.

"Yeah, the percent of students whose life goals probably don't go pass winning the Rosewood football championship" Paige smugly replied.

"That's a really important game" Hanna stated as she pointed a finger at Paige.

"Let's just go down there and congratulate Em" Spencer uttered with a smile as she watched Paige put her hands up in defeat. "She just made an insane record."

* * *

"Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god!" the brunette started screaming before jumping on top of the auburn; engulfing the auburn girl in a full body hug. "Paige, thank you so much! Did you see me out there?" she squealed.

"Everyone saw you out there!" Paige replied as she endorsed the hug; pulling the girl in closer. "You beat the national record that was set in 1974. Congratulations! I couldn't be more proud" she whispered for only the brunette to hear.

"Thanks to you" the brunette whole heartedly stated as she pushed herself off the auburn girl a little to catch her gaze. "If you didn't tell me about my stroke I would have never guessed how I would begin to improve my time. I'd still be stretching and hoping for longer arms and a fin maybe"

Holding the tanned beauty's stare, Paige couldn't help but smile as Emily smiled. "I'm pretty positive you would have figured it out eventually"

"Alright you guys, dinner is on me!" Hanna screamed out as she jumped on Emily with Spencer and Aria following from behind.

"What? Are you kidding me?" Emily replied as the blonde continued tugging on her shoulders; leading the group outside the school.

"Dinner is on us!" Spencer agreed. "You just basically guaranteed yourself a full ride at any school you want" she continued as she pulled out her Toyota SUV keys.

"Exactly which is why I now have the extra cash to pay for dinner" the brunette cynically replied.

"I don't think so" the auburn girl interjected as she hooked arms with the brunette before giving the girl a side smile.

Rolling her eyes in defeat, Emily stubbornly made her way toward her friend's dark grey Highlander and opening the passenger's side. Given there weren't many places in Rosewood the group could go to celebrate, the gang agreed on their local Italian restaurant they always went to for special occasions.

Taking their seats near the serving station as they entered the premise, the group split up as Emily and Paige instinctively sat on one side while Spencer and Aria sat on the other and Hanna taking the aisle seat. Emily was still taking off her cerulean Sharks hoodie when she saw the waitress walk up towards the table.

"Hello ladies. My name is Rose and I'll be your server this evening" the tall dark woman cheerfully stated before continuing. "To start off, would anyone like a drink? Or is water fine?"

"Water is perfect" Spencer replied for the table.

"Great" she answered before writing it down. "Now given that I've seen you around here before, how about I guess your order and bring it out here. If I'm right, it'll be on the house" she affirmed as she looked directly at Emily; not startling anyone at the table.

"How about no and you just get her the 1534 hamburger with extra onions and fries on the side?" Paige vehemently answered for the brunette without making eye contact with the raven hair teen before continuing as she looked at the menu. "And I'll have the Merguez Sausage Sandwich"

"I'll take an order of the chicken phyllo roll with crab cakes" Spencer soon followed as she watched the waitress begin writing down their orders with a scowl.

"And I'll try the chicken pie with a small order of grill scallops" Hanna continued as she closed her menu with enthusiasm.

"I'll just have the chickpea salad" Aria concluded for the table before taking the menus from the other girls and handing it over the waitress. "Thank you!"

Waiting for Emily's new admirer to leave, the group waited a few seconds before focusing their attention back to the brunette. "God Em, we need to start putting a brown bag over your head so maybe you can go a day without getting hit on" Aria indicated as she couldn't help but smile.

"Doubt it. Have you seen her ass?" Hanna asked as she pointed toward the tanned beauty's assets.

"Thanks Han. It's not that bad" Emily quietly responded trying to hide her blush.

"Uh, the waitress looks like she's going to spit in my dinner for interrupting her flirting session with you" Paige countered as she stared at the brunette.

"Well she is kinda cute Em" Hanna observed as she focused on their waitress taking an order from another table.

"She could do better" Paige quickly replied toward the dirty blonde beauty.

"Well maybe we could have one less order to pay for" Emily casually stated as she tried thinking of a way to save the girls money.

"We're good Em" the auburn girl convincingly replied before trying to change the subject. "Anyway, do you guys want to check out that 97.7 concert they have down at Lancaster theater tonight? Students are free"

"That would be amazing! Perfect way to end the night!" the brunette responded as her eyes lit up in excitement.

"I'm in" Spencer agreed. "I'll text Toby to see if he's up for it."

"Already asking Ezra" Aria chimed in as she started texting away.

"Sounds great to me" Hanna conclusively replied. "I'll see if Caleb could grab us some seats since he'll be there early. Oh hey Paige, do you mind dropping me home first? I have to change out of this top. These straps are so annoying" the beauty stated as she began picking at the skinny straps on her turquoise ruffled tank top.

"Yeah of course" the auburn girl responded as she leaned back to allow one of the staff workers place their water on the table.

"Caleb can't drop you there while we get seats?" Emily asked as she looked across at her friend.

Taking a sip of her water, Hanna licked her lips before responding. "He could but then he'll have to come here, get me then go back. Since Spence is driving too I figured Paige could drop me. Unless you prefer if Spence drops me" the blonde challengingly stated as she looked up toward the brunette.

"I don't have any preference" Emily nonchalantly replied as she played with the straw in her water. "Just figured you'd prefer your boyfriend to spend time with you" she continued without making eye contact. As the brunette saw movement toward her left, Emily looked up gratefully as she saw the server approaching with their food. "Finally, food! I'm starving"

Watching the brunette get flustered, Hanna couldn't help but smile as she skillfully cut a piece of her chicken pie and placed it in her mouth. Closing her eyes in satisfaction, Hanna ingested the simple bite before stating the obvious. "This place honestly never disappoints."

"Seriously" the rest of the girls replied in unison.

After taking their time eating and laughing at the day's events, Spencer glanced over at her watch before realizing how late it was. "Ugh, it's pass 7pm already. The concert starts at 8pm."

"Ok, how about you guys take off and Hanna and I will grab the check" Paige arranged as she wiped her mouth and got up. "We'll meet you guys there."

"Sounds like a plan" Aria agreed before pushing in her chair and making her way toward the other two girls.

"Thank you guys. This means a lot" Emily graciously admitted as she looked at her friends.

"Anything for you Em" Hanna replied as she smiled toward the brunette.

Smiling in agreement, Paige couldn't help but watch as the brunette followed the rest of the girls out before being interrupted by an acquainted voice. "Hey, I wanted to apologize to you before; for flirting with your girlfriend right in front of you."

Shocked at how blunt the waitress was, Paige was taken aback about the accusation made toward her. "Whoa, she's not my girlfriend" she replied as she placed her hands up in defeat.

"No?" Rosa asked confused.

"No" Paige confirmed with a smile. "Just a really good friend of mine"

"You seemed to get a bit defensive when I was taking your order though" the tall brunette observed.

"We were just really hungry" Paige replied as she took out her wallet to pay the bill. "Since you've noticed her before, I'm sure the next time she comes in here you could use the opportunity to your fullest advantage again" Paige implied as she tried hiding her discomfort.

Smiling to herself, Rosa seemed to know the brunette was off limits but agreed with the suddenly shy auburn girl standing before her. "I might do that. Well thank you for eating with Brother Jimmy's and hope to see you again"

"Thank you" Paige responded. Placing her walled back in her messenger bag, the brown eye girl could feel a pair of eyes glued on her. Turning to see Hanna gawking at her, Paige began feeling suddenly embarrassed. "What?"

"Nothing" the blonde beauty replied as she pushed herself off the table she was leaning against and made her way to the exit.

"What is it Hanna?" Paige stubbornly asked again.

"Absolutely nothing" Hanna replied with a slight smile.

* * *

Searching through her closet for one of her more comfy but fashionable tops, Hanna couldn't help but glance over at the auburn girl who was currently sprawled out on her bed; reading the latest Science Today magazines she always carried with her. Turning her attention back toward her closet, Hanna bit her lip before finally speaking up. "Have you ever thought about it?"

"Thought about what?" Paige asked honestly confused.

"You know" Hanna began. "You and Emily" she finally stated. "Having more than a…platonic friendship"

Raising her eyebrows at such a question, Paige abruptly closed her magazine before darting up in a sitting position. "Are you serious? No way!" the auburn girl bawled. "I love that girl, but not love love her. She's the complete opposite from me…but somehow brings out the best of me. I honestly don't even know why she's friends with me"

"Really?" Hanna asked seemingly unconvinced.

"What?" Paige retorted.

"Paige" the blonde started before thinking of a way to get through to the girl. "When you say you're complete opposites, what do you mean?"

"You want me to compare myself to Emily?" Paige asked. " _The_ Emily Fields? The star swimmer of Rosewood High? The bronze goddess who walks the halls and has basically every girl, and guy for that matter, tripping over themselves to just get a glimpse of her? Not to mention, I'm pretty positive when she talks bunnies and unicorns tend to come out of the woodworks just to listen to her"

"See, that right there!" Hanna exclaimed as she pointed her index finger toward the auburn girl's statement.

Still confused of what her friend was doing, Paige nodded her head. "What?"

Beginning to get frustrated at how dense her friend was being, Hanna continued to pry. "What do you mean by bronze goddess?"

"Hanna, I'm not blind. Emily is absolutely stunning" Paige truthfully admitted.

"That's exactly my point!" the beauty exclaimed.

Staring blankly at her friend, Paige didn't understand where the blue eye beauty was going with the statement. "What is?"

"Why have you never considered dating her?" Hanna bluntly asked.

"Because she's not my type. Not to mention she's my best friend." Paige honestly replied.

"What is your type?" Hanna continued pushing.

"What are you doing?" the auburn girl asked in defeat as she stood up from the bed. "Why are you trying so hard to convince me to look at Emily in a way that's not friendship?"

"Because you guys are perfect for each other" Hanna finally stated.

Tightening her jaw at such a statement, Paige placed her hands on hips in defense. "And you need to stop playing matchmaker. There's no me and Emily beyond friendship. She's my confidant. She's the person I turn to when I need a shoulder to cry on and the person I could tell basically anything too. That girl deserves the world and I can honestly admit that's not me. So can you please…please put aside the idea of me and Emily dating so we could finally get to the theater on time?"

"Fine" Hanna defiantly agreed. "But mark my words McCullers. One day you'll realize how spot on my matchmaking skills are"

* * *

 *****Present Day*****

Without having to turn around, Paige looked directly at her team as she watched her comrades' circle around her; ready to defend her. Inwardly flinching at the memorable voice, the auburn girl slowly turned around to face her adversary.

"You're part of the Special Ops Unit and you didn't even have the decency to call or simply email anyone?" Spencer screamed out as she looked the auburn girl straight in the eye. Spencer didn't change at all; but that's not where her focus was. Her focus was on a certain brunette standing right behind Spencer. That brunette who seemed to have that same magnetic pull on her even after all this time.

Paige seemed to have forgotten how to breathe. All she was able to do was stare in those same deep brown eyes she always managed to get lost in; especially when they were staring right back at her. Watching Emily silently drink in her own features, the auburn girl knew a lot had changed with her. She didn't have the same bob haircut and bangs she once did. Now, her wavy hair flowed down well passed her shoulders as her bangs had grown out. Suddenly realizing she was wearing a camisole top that easily showed her toned abs as well as her tribal shark tattoo that went down her right side, Paige began to feel a bit self-conscious; but that didn't stop her from taking in her own view of the brunette.

As her eyes trailed over Emily, Paige easily saw the brunette was still a unique beauty. She seemed more toned as her arms and legs were well defined. Her hair was still the same length; however now it was highlighted. Along with her stunning features, the sun also played its role; giving the girl an absolutely stunning glow. Fighting the urge to walk over and engulf the tanned beauty in a long awaited hug, the auburn girl found it even more difficult to move.

Forcing herself to look away, Paige simply could not as Emily held her gaze. All she was able to do was be engulfed by her pull. Feeling her heart drop as she watched the brunette's eyes fill with tears, Paige knew how hard Emily was trying to prevent them from falling; but that didn't mean they weren't filled with hurt and anger. She saw how confused they were; compelling Paige to feel even more guilt-ridden then she already was. Feeling the tension easily arise around them, the auburn girl still didn't look away as she heard another familiar voice next to the brunette.

"And don't even try using Caleb as your defense" Hanna furiously added. "I could tell he's lying by a mile away."

"Speak Paige!" Spencer heatedly snapped. "I mean it's been 8 years. I figured you'd at least say hi to us. You tell us you're leaving start some science program early but you'll be back. And you never came back. For 8 years! And now we find out you're the one who's supposed to help us find Aria? We're supposed to trust you now? Why? Because you're somebody that could keep your promises?"

Tightening her jaw at the accusation made against her, Paige struggled to swallow as she was at a loss for words. She honestly didn't think this would be the first interaction she was going to have with the girls. Forcing herself to move, Paige finally broke out of her gaze, as the sudden voice of her commander vibrated through the air.

"Enough!" Commander Mahoney demanded. "McCullers, my office. The rest of you, show the ladies out"

Leisurely shifting her gaze downward, the auburn couldn't help but notice a familiar leather anchor bracelet on the brunette's wrist before watching as the three girls were removed physically from the grounds. Drifting her eyes back upward toward the brunette, Paige found herself once again locked in a trance as Emily held her stare for a few more seconds before focusing forward.

* * *

Hearing the door slam shut behind her, Paige took a seat in front of the commander's desk before finally hearing the man speak up. "Mind explaining to me why 3 women came crashing into my training course ready to set you straight?"

"No sir" Paige calmly replied.

"Should I remind you the disciplinary actions we take here when learning an ops officer is lying to us?" the sturdy commander forcefully asked.

"No sir" Paige answered. Figuring out a way to a explain herself, Paige finally came clean. "As you know I grew up here in Rosewood. I have some ties to some of the residents still here which…includes the Montgomery's"

"You have ties to the missing person?" the commander questioned.

Nodding her head in agreement, Paige answered. "Yes sir, but not strong ties. I use to go to school with her along with the other 3 girls you met out there"

"Continue" the well-built commander replied as he sat back in his seat.

"We've all known each other since middle school. I was closer with some more than others. I knew Ms. Montgomery, but I didn't know her as well as Ms. Hastings who….was the one who just made herself clear out there"

Watching his field officer closely, Commander Mahoney knew Paige was telling the truth. "I see. And Ms. Fields? Did you know her as well as Ms. Hastings or Ms. Montgomery?"

"I knew her as well as Ms. Hastings" Paige truthfully answered. "But better"

"Now it's becoming clear to why Commander Fields selected your team to cover this" the commanding officer established before standing up. "So why does he trust you so heavenly yet the girls seem to despise you?"

"I'm not sure" Paige replied as she looked at her superior. "I didn't even know Commander Fields knew I was an officer"

"Yet he does" the established man quickly countered.

Lightly biting her lip, Paige continued. "I was close with the girls. We were friends for basically 6 years. And senior year I decided to graduate early without giving anyone any notice about my intentions about leaving Rosewood and not returning"

Arching an eyebrow, Commander Mahoney continued his interrogation. "Why did you leave so abruptly? I would have assumed you would have told at least one of the girls. I mean 6 years of friendship is a long time"

Clenching her jaw, Paige closed her eyes as the painful feelings she once had begun crawling back. "It was, I agree. But I made sort of a hasty decision without thinking of the consequences. I was 17. When you're angry and hurt you tend to be a bit irrational sometimes"

"I'm not going to pry into your teenage drama. But those girls don't seem to trust you out there" the commander observed.

"It's their personality" Paige retorted as she looked back toward her superior. "Even if I wasn't here, they wouldn't trust the team. They will continue to dig up information on the team and will put themselves in the middle of the investigation."

Adjusting to the information just given to him, the commander had to ask. "What do you propose we do to eliminate that option from happening?"

"We go to them" Paige bluntly stated. "Unless they feel safe and respected from the start, they will not give up on making sure they eventually feel that way. I propose we send someone from the unit; someone that's not me to introduce to them. They need to know who we are and know we're just here to help"

"And how do you suggest we do that?" the commander officer asked.

Standing up to make herself feel less demeaned, Paige responded. "Invite them to the training ground. Show them that we do in fact have the necessary skills and intelligence to bring Aria home. And ensure them they are equally as important. They need to know they're useful to us"

Squinting his eyebrows at the officer's proposal, Commander Mahoney reacted. "You seem to know these girls really well"

"I don't think that's the case anymore" Paige truthfully replied.


	3. Chapter 3

**Siophiefandom/Guests'/naiel2017/sackoftits/summersantos2009/Dee-Skystars** \- Thank you guys so much for reviewing! I'm so glad you all like the fic so far!

 **Sofiadc66** – Glad to be back! You have absolutely no reason to apologize. I hope all is well with the move and starting university. That's a pretty crazy change. Wish you all the best over there! Thank you for sharing your opinion about the story so far. I love badass Paige so I can promise you there will be more scenes with her showing off her talents.

 **Thecatfromaliceinwonderland** – It's Friday! Don't worry, the first encounter between Emily and Paige is definitely coming. And I can guarantee you that you will be seeing more training sessions with Paige in the very near future. I hope I eventually mend your broken heart. In regards to the flashbacks, yes there will be flashbacks in practically every chapter. As for your assumption…you're partially right. This chapter will explain the other part.

To the **Guest** who asked for a quick picture of the tribal shark tattoo, I didn't take a picture of it when I saw it over the summer. However I did google a few pics and found one closest to the one I saw. I don't own this picture and give credit to whoever took it. I'll leave it up till Monday.

On a side note, who else saw that Locum Tenens will be updated soon!?

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Pretty Little Liars or any of its characters**

As the sound of the doorbell resonated through the house, Spencer was more than frustrated when she turned to her right to see what time it was. _8:13am. Who the hell is ringing my doorbell at 8:13 in the morning?_ Concluding it was just another volunteer trying to get her vote for the latest mayor campaign, the slim brunette closed her eyes once more before snuggling back into her pillow. It wasn't more than 30 seconds later she heard the doorbell once again; sighing in complete defeat.

"Who the hell is that so early?" Hanna mumbled on the floor near Spencer's bed as she placed a pillow over her head to shield the noise.

"Probably one of Mayor McGraw's lackeys; they're just as annoying as he is" Spencer tiredly responded. Throwing her right arm over her eyes to cover them from the early morning sun, the girls soon heard a heavy knock follow the sound of the doorbell.

Groaning in complete annoyance, the belligerent brunette removed her blanket from around her as she aggressively made her way downstairs toward the front door. Ready to give the person disturbing her sleep a piece of her mind, Spencer slowed her progression toward her large fiberglass white doors as she saw a well-built man in a suit standing on her porch. _That definitely does not look like one of Mayor McGraw's men_. Gradually opening the door to peek through, Spencer finally answered. "Yes?"

"Ms. Hastings, I presume?" the blue eye stranger asked openly.

Scrunching her eyes in uncertainty, Spencer didn't want to answer directly. "Who's asking?"

Knowing full well the brunette standing before him was in fact Spencer Hastings granted he's seen her picture, the officer replied with a smirk; happy the brunette was in fact suspicious of his presence. "Special Ops Officer Weaver Ma'am; pleasure to meet you"

The sudden familiarity of the stranger before her struck Spencer immediately. "Right, you were one of the officers' training with Paige yesterday"

"That's correct" Aiden acknowledged.

"How can I help you?" Spencer asked as she opened the door a little wider to allow the curly brown hair man to enter.

Obliging her invitation, Aiden entered the premise; taking in the setting before turning back to focus on Spencer. "Thank you. From my knowledge, you girls are friends of Ms. Montgomery. Is that correct?"

"Is your knowledge coming from Paige?" Spencer directly asked as she folded her arms to her chest in defense.

Holding the brunette's alleging glare, the officer confirmed her suspicion. "Special Ops Officer McCullers did disclose she knew you three as well as Ms. Montgomery. She also acknowledged it would be best if the team dealing with the case were introduced to you three"

Somewhat pleased her suspicions were correct, Spencer made her way to the kitchen as she headed straight for her coffee maker. "Why didn't _Officer_ McCullers come here herself to talk with us?"

As the sound of two other footsteps jarred Aiden out of his train of thought, he soon relaxed once again realizing it was the other girls approaching him. Leaning against the kitchen island he answered the question directed at him, "Because I am team lead of this case and given the situation that occurred yesterday, I thought it would be best if I did the introduction"

"Rather than have a familiar face do it?" Spencer continued as she took out four coffee cups from her cabinet.

"That's correct" Aiden answered. "Every second counts in this case. Rather than have you all bicker over some high school drama, I prefer we start as soon as possible" he continued honestly.

Glaring heatedly at the man at first, Spencer reduced her irritation realizing he was in fact correct. This was about Aria, not Paige. Closing her eyes to control her demeanor, the brunette looked at the other two girls before responding. "Well where do we start?"

"How about you girls follow me back to our training grounds so you can see the team for yourself?" Aiden stated as he stood up straight.

Silently receiving consent from the other girls by a simple nod, Spencer accepted the offer. "We'll be right behind you"

* * *

"Thank you for giving us this opportunity to work with you" Aiden started as he led the girls to back of the Rosewood Department where the rest of the team were practicing. "I always think it's best to get formal introductions out of the way so the rest will go over smoothly"

"Agreed" Hanna admitted. "Well you already know who we are, how about you start off with who you are"

Smiling a little at how direct the girls seemed to be, the officer only thought it was suitable to start with himself. "My name is Aiden Weaver, 32. I've been with the team for 6 years now. I am a graduate of Harvard University ranking number 4 in my class with a double major in International Development and Applied Physics" the sandy brown hair clearly stated as he opened the large wooden doors that led to the open field. "As you know, I am team lead and my weapon of choice is the Kamas"

"Kamas?" Emily asked perplexed. "I would thought it would be guns. What are Kamas?"

Approaching the area to wear several officers were practicing their moves against one another, Aiden stopped shy before turning to the girls. "The Kamas are a specific martial arts weapon some of us could use out in the field. They look like small hockey sticks, but are blades. When applying for our team, all possible candidates are put through a rigorous 8 month training camp" he began explaining. "We teach candidates how to handle all types of weaponry and they are allowed them to pick the weapon they feel best suited with once chosen. We test everything. How we handle weaponry, which you'll see today. How we handle hand to hand combat which you witnessed yesterday. Where we are mentally during a mission. How we handle stress. Plus we also put candidates through our own martial arts training. We put them through several different scenarios to see how they could handle the situation" he concluded.

Taken aback by the intensity of the material just presented to her, Emily tightened her jaw at the realization of what was happening around her; grasping the idea that Paige had to go through all those obstacles. "What kind of scenarios?" she quietly asked.

"Everything" he answered as he continued walking toward the first team member. "We could drop them on top a mountain peak and have them survive for a week with nothing but the clothes on their backs. Or we could drop them in the middle of an ocean and have them swim for miles seeking shelter"

Feeling her chest drop at such a circumstance, Emily suddenly felt protective of the auburn girl. "Paige doesn't swim"

"8 years is a long time Ms. Fields" Aiden stated as he looked the brunette in the eye." A lot could change in that time" he continued. Making their way to the first team member, the girls stopped shy of a drill session occurring. "Straight ahead is David O'Neil, 29. He is the team's coordinator" the team lead stated as he focused his attention on the medium built man currently in the fighting ring with another officer. "He's in charge of getting us in and out of all missions without being spotted. He has all our exit plans planned out and maps it out for us. He has been on the team for about 4 years now. Dave applied based on this Martial Arts technique and have been trained for over 8 years with some of the best masters worldwide" he continued as he watched his comrade skillfully whirl his weapon of choice. "As you can see, his weapon is the double blade staff"

Completely stunned, the girls watched in admiration as Dave skillfully dodged numerous attacks from his opponent before swiftly and tactfully inscribing his staff behind his opponent's knees to bring him to his knees before pointing one of his blades to the man's throat. "He's good" Hanna stated in awe.

"We only expect and accept the best" Aiden replied in sanction. "Let's continue" he stated before walking over to the archery section. "Next is Dylan Pinto, 27. He has been with the team for 2 years. He is the team's eyes and ears dealing with our communication back to base as well as giving us visuals during a field operation" the team lead stated as he spotted Dylan to his far right setting up his weapon. "He was an ex-marine for about 4 years before joining the team. His weapon of choice, the Long Shot Bow" Aiden continued as they watched Dylan deposit 12 arrows within 40 seconds; all hitting their target 90 feet away. Arching their eyebrows in amazement, the girls were completely silent over the skill set the team taking on Aria's case seemed to have.

Quietly following Aiden toward the gun range, the blue eye specialist made his way behind the protective glass area before resuming. "Over in the next field we have Skylar Hensley. She is the team's technician. She deals with all computers as well as making sure we have the latest and best weapons of our choice. She graduated MIT, ranking number 1 of her class. She has been on our team for about 2 years now. Her weapon of choice, the Axe Pistol" Aiden clearly stated before hearing the sound of a shotgun echo through the entire course; compelling the girls to flinch at such a sound.

After watching Skylar emptying out her shotgun on a target 120 feet away, Hanna swallowed to clear her throat. "What's with the animal tattoos?" she observed.

Smirking at the detailed observation the young blonde made, Aiden turned to face the girls. "You have a good eye Ms. Marin"

"You have the Lion on your forearm" Hanna stated. "O'Neil has the Jaguar on his right calf. Pinto had the eagle on his back. Hensley has the Wolf on her lower back" she continued.

"Paige has the Shark on her rib cage" Emily suddenly stated earning a surprise look from the other girl's. "I…caught a glimpse of it yesterday"

Nodding his head in agreement, Aiden confirmed the statement. "That's right. We all received a tattoo when we joined the team that sort of represents who are. In the army, soldiers receive dog tags as an identification card. On our team, our tattoos are our identifications"

Feeling her stomach tighten at the last station, Emily felt her entire body freeze at the mere thought of Paige risking her life; with the possibility of getting killed. Swallowing hard, the brunette was only able to look up when she finally heard Aiden announce the brown eye beauty. "And here is the famous Paige McCullers you girls have been looking for; 26 and is the team's current co-leader" he proudly stated.

"Co-lead?" Emily notably stated as she walked closer to where Paige stood; focusing on her target at hand.

Folding his hands behind him to stand in an upright position, Aiden confirmed. Watching as all the girls eyes were glued on their old friend, the leading officer continued. "Yes. She's been with the team for 4 years and is probably one of the best hand to hand combat officers we've seen. Her weapon of choice is the twin machete as well as throwing knives"

Emily could feel her mouth go dry as she watched the auburn girl speed toward her target before vaulting in midair and throwing 3 knives simultaneously; each hitting her target. Observing in complete admiration, the brunette was entranced as she continued watching the beauty tumble in expertise before conducting a wall spin as she threw out 3 more knives toward her target. Emily couldn't shift her eyes away from the beauty. Traveling her gaze up the auburn girl's black capri jogger sweats which perfectly showed off the girl's lean legs, up to her perfectly sculpted abdomen and arms which was easily seen in the girl's simple grey workout crop top; the brunette felt as though the air around her was sucked out the area the instant she noticed a trickle of sweat on the nape of the auburn girl's neck.

Unexpectedly feeling an arm link itself up with her own, Emily was brought out of her thoughts as she noticed Hanna had to stop her from moving any further; realizing she was inching closer and closer toward the auburn girl without apprehending what she was doing.

"When did she apply?" Spencer asked as she couldn't remove her eyes from her old friend.

"She didn't" Aiden admitted. "We recruited her"

Feeling a surge of anger flood through her, Emily snapped her head toward the team lead. "You have hundreds of applicants vying for a seat on this team and you recruited her?" she exclaimed.

"That's correct" the built officer admitted as he took in a deep breath. He knew talking about Paige's past wasn't part of his responsibility. However noticing the way his co-lead's old friends were looking at her, Aiden felt as though it was only reasonable to tell them a little more about the auburn girl. "There was a fire that broke out in the Stanford science lab while she was still attending her freshman year. While everyone ran out, Officer McCullers was the only one to run back in"

Scrunching her eyebrows at such a senseless move, Emily felt herself becoming angry that Paige would dare do something like that. "That was dangerous of her to do" the brunette mumbled as she continued watching Paige expertly train with her knives.

"It was. She was reprimanded for it" Aiden admitted with a smile. "But the way she handled herself, sparked interest for the rest of us"

"What did she do?" Spencer asked curiously.

"She didn't fight back as we expected any other freshman to do" Aiden began. "She didn't argue. She just listened. Even when she was being threatened to be kicked out of the school, it was as though she didn't regret her decision. She shouldn't have. She saved 7 people that day"

Gasping at piece of data, Emily turned to face the solid man. "What?" she asked breathlessly.

"She didn't have one physical fitness characteristic about her" Aiden continued, remembering back to how Paige first started off. "Yet she saved 7 people by purely using her familiarity around a science lab"

"What did she do?" Spencer asked again.

"She knew the fire department wasn't going to come in time; especially with all the chemicals being used in the laboratory. So she ran instead. Aiming for the fire blankets first to wrap around the people trapped in the lab with no concern to herself" Aiden began. "It took her about 3 minutes to figure out what she could use in that lab that would get them out there safely. First she used liquid nitrate and she poured some into an old Pepsi bottle before putting that Pepsi bottle into an old paint can. Then all she had to do was make a big enough hole in the wall that led to the next classroom before placing the paint can in it. If you guys know chemistry, you'll know the expansion of vapor would cause a massive explosion. That explosion caused their exit, allowing everyone to use window of the next door classroom to escape"

* * *

 *****9 Years Ago*****

Watching at how worried the rest of her friends were, Paige placed her lunch tray down between Emily and Caleb before taking her seat. "What's going on with you four?" the auburn girl asked concerned.

"Spencer was just called into Principal Tamborelli's office" Aria quietly answered as she stared at the empty spot Spencer had been sitting in a few minutes ago.

Feeling relieved, Paige opened her fork from its plastic before responding. "That's nothing new. Maybe she won some scholarship" she stated as she took a generous bite out of one of her chicken nuggets.

"I doubt it" Emily acknowledged. "Jenna was eavesdropping on her with that stupid smug grin of hers"

"Is there something we need to be worried about?" Paige asked as the recent statement caused the auburn girl to be concerned.

"We think Spencer may have some pills in her locker from when her mom caught her" Emily quietly answered.

"What?" the auburn quietly exclaimed. "I thought her mom personally cleaned out her locker to make sure that wasn't case"

Looking around her, Emily made sure no one was listening before responding. "She did. But we think someone may have planted it there"

Taken aback by the new details, Paige sat back realizing how grieve the situation was. "If that's the case, Spencer would be on grounds of being suspended"

"Exactly" Caleb finally stated. "They're going to raid her locker after they interrogate her"

"Nobody has her combination?" Paige asked.

"I tried texting her, but obviously she's not going to be able to respond without a distraction" Aria answered.

"I could pull the fire alarm" Hanna quickly volunteered.

"Yeah and then have to worry about you getting suspended too?" the brown eye intellect pretentiously stated. Thinking quietly for a few second, Paige widened her eyes. "I have an idea. We need to go to the chem lab"

Secretly making their way up to the third floor, the group made sure no one was able to see them; especially as Principal Tamborelli's office was directly across from the laboratory. Making their way into the room, Emily looked around to make sure no one was there. "Ok what's the plan?"

"Caleb, make sure no one is coming" Paige immediately directed. "Hanna, grab me the fire extinguisher. Em, grab me that cotton sheet covering the chem equipment. Aria, grab me those two buckets by the back door" the auburn continued as she began trying to finding string or rubber bands for her plan.

"Are we going to fog up the principal's office?" the blonde beauty asked before handing over the fire equipment to the motivated intellect.

"No, but you gave me an idea" Paige responded as she pulled the safety off the fire extinguisher handle and placed the sheet over the hose before placing a rubber band over it to keep the carbon dioxide from coming out. "If we pull the fire alarm, that's automatic grounds for suspension. But if we were working on a science experiment, they can't do anything" the auburn clearly stated.

Making sure there was no space between the sheet and the hose, Paige looked over at Aria holding the two buckets. "Can you guys fill that with boiling water and put it by the door?"

"What are you doing?" Emily asked as one of the buckets was filling with water.

"I'm going to make some dry ice" Paige replied with a smile as she pressed the leaver.

After a about two minutes of pure carbon dioxide being formed within the sheet, Paige checked to see if she had enough dry ice for a plan. Smiling as she recognized she did, the auburn girl looked up to the rest of the girls. "Perfect" she stated as she held up a piece of it. Placing the safety back on the extinguisher, Paige knew she had to clean up any evidence that they were there as well. "Em, can you put this sheet back over the equipment? Hanna, can you put the extinguisher back to where you got it?" she asked as the two girls did as they were told. "When we drop the dry ice in the water; run to your lockers. It's going to cause a whole lot of smoke giving us the perfect opportunity for Spencer to text us since Principal Tamborelli will be a bit occupied" the brown eye genius stated with a smirk. "Aria, make sure you're by Spencer's locker ok?" Watching the girls all nod in agreement, Paige finally asked, "Ready?"

Instantly upon impact of the dry ice within the boiling water, a flood of smoke came pouring out of the two buckets; allowing the girls to lock the door and run in accordance to the plan. Right on cue, security came rushing into the halls forcing Tamborelli to stop his interrogation and tend to the matter. Within seconds, Aria received the expected text she was waiting for and swiftly opened Spencer's lockers to remove the articles she was about to be accused of.

Everything happened in merely minutes. The girls all returned to their lunch table as though nothing happened; waiting to see if a certain brunette was going to be discharged of all charges made against her. Feeling as though time was crawling by, the group couldn't help but smile in excitement as the one and only Spencer Hastings made her way back into the cafeteria. Not wanting to draw any attention toward their table, the girls all focused energetically on their lunches without looking at one another to give away their scheme.

Taking another bite of her chicken nugget, Paige couldn't help but glance over to the tanned beauty sitting beside her as Emily gave her one of her classic smiles that always made her feel as though she just won the key to the city.

* * *

 *****Present Day*****

Seemingly out of breath, all Emily was able to do was mumble. "She's amazing" she admitted tearfully.

Nodding in accord, Aiden agreed. "She has excelled faster than anyone I've seen while here. I'm proud to have her as my co-leader" he admitted.

"I think I remember hearing about that fire in the chem lab" Hanna recalled. "I thought they couldn't find the girl that saved those people"

"That's what we had to tell the media" Aiden revealed. "We couldn't just put her name out there. Especially since we wanted her"

"So what now?" Spencer asked as she turned to face the commanding officer. "Given the fact that a team with this many skills needed to be called in to find our friend kind of indicates the situation is more serious then we initially thought"

Looking at his watch as he noted it was half past 11, Aiden shifted his gaze toward Paige and Skylar noticing the pair making their way out of the training course. "We were called in because we were trained to handle any situation; no matter how dire. Now, we're about to be debriefed about the additional findings we have regarding the particles and pictures we took back at the Montgomery's residence"

Following in accordance with Aiden's gaze toward his team members, Emily clenched her jaw as she watched Paige leave the training grounds as she playfully tackled Dave. "And what are we going to do?"

"You guy's now need to sit tight and let us do our job. This is what we've been trained for. We will find Ms. Montgomery and bring her back home" Aiden stated as he began making his way out of the training facility as well.

"How do you suppose we do that?" Spencer retorted as she followed the commanding officer. "Our best friend is out there missing"

"I need you to stay out of our way" Aiden forcefully acknowledge as he glared at all three girls. "This could be a dangerous situation. We rather focus our attention on the missing person than have to worry about saving you as well"

Silently formulating a plan in her head, Spencer crossed her arms in seemingly defeat before responding. "Fine"

Narrowing his eyes in disbelief, the officer was reluctant to accept Spencer's promise, but didn't have time to argue. "Thank you. I'll see you girls later"

"You really want us to sit tight?" Hanna asked as the three girls watched the brawny officer make his way toward the rest of his team.

"Of course not" Spencer answered back as she began making her way toward her SUV. "Ask Caleb to hack of Officer Weaver's cell phone. We'll listen in on their findings as well" the brunette stated as the other two girls followed.

* * *

"Evening folks" the sturdy commanding started as he closed the conference room door behind him. "Hope you all are enjoying the simple life here at Rosewood"

"I don't think simple is the right term to use when describing Rosewood" Dylan quickly retorted as he took a seat to the far end of the conference room table.

"Well said" Commander Mahoney replied with a smile. "Officer Weaver, how was the meet and greet with the girls?" the older man asked he placed his files down before taking a seat at the beginning of the long wooden table.

As her head shot up at the statement, Paige turned to face Aiden. "You already met them?"

 _There it was_. There was the raspy voice Emily hadn't heard in over 8 years. There was the voice she always counted on since middle school. Closing her eyes to allow it to sink in, the brunette removed herself from the kitchen table as she made her way over to the kitchen sink to pour herself a glass of water to calm her nerves. With the rest of the girls surrounding Caleb as they continued listening to the reveal on his laptop, Emily took in a deep breath to control her nerves.

"Yes I did. I decided to do it first thing this morning since I knew our findings would be coming in later in the day" Aiden confirmed as he looked at the rest of the team.

Taking in the revelation, Paige looked forward in complete surprise. The girls came to base today; Emily came. Suddenly a flood of questions began racing through her mind. _Was I good? Did I perform up to par? Did I impress her? Am I good enough for them?_ Selfishly, all Paige could think of was herself; until Skylar's voice broke her out of her own train of thought.

"And?" the hazel eye beauty simply asked.

"They just left base" Aiden began. "I showed them around and introduced them to each of you while you were all training. They seem satisfied with the team. Hopefully they'll get use to us and let us do our job"

"Doubtful" Paige chimed in louder then she expected. Looking up to see the bewildered glances from her team, the auburn girl continued. "If I know those girls, well for one the fact that you woke them up early in the morning is probably not the best start"

Spencer couldn't help but smile as she heard that familiar voice speak about them again; it was as though no time had passed.

"Second, the fact that you told them we were waiting on findings is like dangling a bone in front of a dog. You were teasing them. Of course they're going to want to know what we found out" the auburn girl continued.

"You won't have to worry about that for long" the commanding voice suddenly stated. "You won't be here for that to happen"

"We found something commander?" the lead officer asked as he stood up.

"You did" Commander Mahoney stated as he began to hand out the files to each member. "We actually overlooked it the first time around. Whoever broke into the Montgomery residence did a great job at cleaning up after themselves" he continued as he looked on with the rest of the team.

"Was it the brand of paint?" Dave stated as he began going through the laboratory results of chemicals.

Grabbing the remote to power the projector, the commander answered. "No, it was actually the dirt on their boot that was found in the victim's room" he concluded. With a picture of a thin piece of grass appearing on the screen, the team looked on as the commander continued. "There were some residual particles called Elymus Virginicus. It could easily be mistaken for wild rye"

"So what makes you think it's Elymus Virginicus?" Paige asked as she continued observing the element.

"Surprisingly the sample we gathered had a bit of seed left in it allowing us to determine its origin" Commander Mahoney responded.

Nodding at the answer, Aiden knew what that meant. "Where are we heading?"

"Pack your camping gear" the well build commander acknowledged. "You guys will be examining the Washington and Jefferson National Forest"

"The forest covers 1.8 million acres" Paige quoted. "Where exactly should we be aiming for?"

"We're still determining the exact location, but should be able to get you that in an hour or two" Commander Mahoney answered. "In the meantime, prepare to leave Rosewood"

"Copy" the team all replied in unison.

"We will be contacting Commander Collins at the Virginia base" the commander addressed. "He'll be your point person once you are airborne. Understood?"

"Yes, sir" the team once again replied.

"Good luck to you all" the older man responded before leaving the room.

Still in a bit of shock, Paige sat for a few seconds longer than the rest of her team; taking in the fact that the girls still saw her without her knowing. A part of Paige wanted to talk to them; she honestly did miss them. But on the other hand, a part of her knew once she crossed that line she'd be emotionally involved all over again. That's the last thing the team needed, but it was what she wanted. Coming to a compromise, the auburn girl decided she could go visit her old house. The girls wouldn't be there. But their memories were still implanted everywhere.


	4. Chapter 4

**Guest** – I think Paige in general is an amazing character so I needed to do her justice in this story. The girls will be interacting really soon. As for the girls being able to hack the phone without the team detecting them…well they do have Caleb on their side! He has his ways.

 **Guests'/naiel2017** – I'm so glad you guys all like it so far! And this is just the beginning.

 **Em** – Thank you for the compliment! I was a bit hesitant in posting since it was basically way out of the norm for a Paily Fanfic.

 **Thecatfromaliceinwonderland** – Hahaha, you know I had to put a small mention of Superman in there! That's too funny you picked up on that. And I like that you compared her to the black widow…that didn't even cross my mind. So do I want to tell you about Emily's behavior? I would love too! But you're going to have to put the little pieces together. Of course there's questions! Especially with the way I started it out. But I'm not going to give anything away. Hope you enjoy the next chapter! I saw your post and promise I'll respond as soon as I can.

 **Sofiadc66** – There are a lot of similarities between my writing. Sometimes when I start writing I begin to picture the story taking place another away. Thank you so much for the compliments! It really means a lot. I can promise you…some of those theories you have for this story will come true. Enjoy!

 **ItsKatiee61** – I appreciate so much that you picked up all those small things. I tried to make the girls have the same characteristics they have on the show so readers could envision them better. There's always tension between Paige and Emily when they're not together. I had to do Paige justice in this story.

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Pretty Little Liars or any of its characters**

Taking in a deep breath to contain her sudden restlessness, Paige dug her hands in her front pockets before slowly closing her eyes. The auburn girl didn't realize just how emotional she'd feel standing in front of her old house. Paige knew her parents kept the house as a vacation place so they could always go back to when they needed a bit of break from the sunshine state and just wanted to feel the snow under their skis as they sought out that thrill.

However, as a 17 year old girl leaving her home behind during a sensitive time in her life, Paige knew she was going to be surrounded by memories. Every inch of the estate had something that reminded of her time in Rosewood. Whether it was trying to bake Spencer's birthday cake in the kitchen with Emily which in turn left a piece of dough stuck on the ceiling. Or moving around the furniture in the living room to give Hanna, Emily and herself more room to dance to "Tearing up My Heart" by NSYNC which in turn left a scratch mark on the wall caused by the love seat shifting around. Or sliding down the staircase rail to try to beat Emily to the kitchen to grab the last hot pocket which in turn caused Paige to flip over instead and fall on the wooden panel as her elbow caused a minor dent in the wall.

Of course, the one room which had the most effect on her was her bedroom. Standing before the door, Paige had to give herself a second before turning the handle and opening it. Steering herself for what she was about see, the auburn girl swallowed lightly as she took in the vast space just as she left it 8 years ago. Taking in the bare walls which once held collages of pictures of her friends, Paige continued to gaze around as she took in the shelves which held classics she read which once also contained awards and ribbons she had won with the girls. Turning toward her dresser, Paige slowly walked over as she grazed her index finger on top to wipe off some of the dust formed over time as she couldn't help but think back to how it use to be filled with foam fingers from random concerts she and Emily had been too and random masks and beads from Rosewood's dances.

When Paige decided to leave, she didn't want to keep any reminders of her past in her room. Throwing away everything that remotely made her think back to the brunette; Paige dumped everything in a box and left it out by garbage without thinking twice. While walking back inside that night, the auburn girl didn't realize her mother was watching her from the kitchen window. She didn't realize it was her mother who had went out later that night while she was asleep to try to spare some of her memories. She didn't realize her mother had placed some of the items in a smaller box and bury them in their backyard.

Paige had only come to learn about her mother's actions after graduating Stanford. While her parents were convincing the brown eye beauty to come home for a bit, Paige tried to convince them she had no memories she wanted to relive; that was when her mom admitted to her activities. At first the auburn girl was livid her mother went through her personal items and took it upon herself to keep them. But after a few months of realizing her mom was only trying to help, Paige simply dropped the matter and moved on; she knew she had no intention of retrieving the items buried.

However, as the beauty stood in her empty childhood home; Paige needed to fill that void she was suddenly feeling. She needed to see something that made her remember what her life was like when she was a teenager. She needed to know what she had wasn't a lie or something she made up in her mind. Dropping her black Nike duffle back by her dresser, Paige turned toward her bedroom door and made her way down the hall toward the front door.

Exiting her house, Paige made her way toward her backyard which now only contained an empty swimming pool. Clenching her jaw at all the memories that area simply held, Paige kept her focus toward the patch of dirt which once held blossoming flowers as she searched for a small trowel her mom use to keep nearby. Finding it rather quickly, the auburn girl began digging in the area where her mother told her she had buried her memories.

Thanking her mother silently, Paige only had to dig for about two feet before she had come upon her mother's old bronze box which she remembered at one point held her mother's old jewelry. Carefully retrieving the box from hole below, Paige didn't dare open it out in public. This was something that meant more to her then she honestly realized. Just holding the box sent a course of shivers through her.

Paige didn't dare share these items with the girls back when she was in high school. This was something of hers she always kept secret from everyone even though they were all with her during these events. She didn't want anyone to know just how important these memories were too her. So now, standing before a immense space of emptiness, the auburn girl held the box close to chest; seemingly thinking someone was peering over her should to sneak a peek at what she was holding.

Standing up slowly, the auburn girl dusted off her jeans before making her way back in her house. Quietly closing the door, Paige continued to her room silently closing her room door as well. Paige felt as though she was keeping a secret from the rest of the world and didn't want anyone to know. Just by the mere knowledge the box in her hands contained some of her most precious moments, the auburn girl could feel all the emotions she thought she ran from come flooding back. Closing her eyes to prevent her tears from falling, the brown eye beauty slowly sat down in front of her bed. Looking at the box one last time, Paige finally worked up the courage to open it.

The first thing that came into view was a bundle of old concert wristbands. From the size of the bundle, the auburn girl would imagine effortlessly it was well over 40 different concerts. Paige could easily point out which wristband went to which concert without a second thought. Slowly forming a smile across her lips, Paige rested the bundle to her right as she spotted a bunch of old ticket stubs from movies the group had went to; they ranged from movies from 2002 to 2005. Laughing to herself, Paige knew these weren't movies anyone would be proud to say they've seen. They were stubs for movies like "The Count of Monte Cristo" or "The Sisterhood of Traveling Pants". There was even a stub for "Hulk", the version played by Eric Bana. Knowing everyone else probably threw them away after they saw them, Paige kept them just because of the way she felt being with her friends.

Placing the ticket stubs right next to the wristbands, Paige continued as she then pulled out a dry rose Emily had once given her when they went to a Valentine's Day dance together. Clenching her jaw, Paige bit her bottom lip. She could recall every detail of that event. From the sexy red skater dress Emily wore, to the pair belting the lyrics to "Check On It" by Beyoncé, to watching as Emily won the crown for Queen of the dance. Forcing those memories aside, the auburn girl placed the old flower down as well, as she picked up a necklace that had a small key as its pendant. Remembering the brunette was the one who gave her the necklace, Paige wondered if Emily still had the heart piece of the necklace. Taking in a deep breath, Paige placed it aside before she continued searching the box.

The most direct items the box contained were pictures. Pictures of the group in school. Pictures of the brunette eating. Pictures of the pair at concerts or parks. Everything Paige looked at brought back the most emotional memories of her best friend. If Paige openly admitted it to herself, she would realize she truly missed the bronze beauty more than anything. She also knew just by the contents in the box, how deeply she loved the brunette. It was as though she loved the brunette before she even realized she was _in_ love with the brunette. Nodding her head at the thought, the auburn girl stuffed the contents back into her box as she stood up abruptly.

Taking in a deep breath, Paige stood still for a second before fully knowing what she had to do. _I have to see them._

* * *

The Brew. The it place to be when in high school. And if Paige knew the girls as well as she thought, they'd still be gathering at there every so often. The antiquated coffee shop had a sense of tranquility to it; giving off a safe haven feel. That's exactly what those girls needed right now. They needed to feel safe. They needed to feel calm. They needed to feel as though they had a grasp with everything that was happening.

Making her way thru the café gradually, Paige kept her eyes and ears open for any familiarity from any of the girls. After a few minutes of looking around, the auburn girl cleared her throat before determining no one was there; that was until she heard that voice. The voice that has haunted her dreams for years. It was soft, but Paige would bet anything it was Emily. Turning in a complete 180, Paige nervously made her way up the stairs; steeling herself for the scene she was about to see.

Just as she suspected, Spencer, Hanna and Emily were sitting right by the top of the staircase. Spencer and Hanna both took up the loveseat as Emily had her back toward her; sitting on the sofa. Observing as they seem to be in the middle of a heavy conversation, Paige clenched her jaw as finally found the potency to say something. "Hey"

Paige felt as though she couldn't breathe. She felt as though time stood still; waiting for one of the girls to make a move. Focusing more on a certain brunette, Paige could easily see the girl's shoulders straightened when she spoke while Spencer and Hanna's eyes were glued on her in disbelief. The brown eye beauty knew she should brace herself for a full on Spencer Hasting's attack. Watching as the slim brunette got to her feet, Paige swallowed knowing she couldn't place herself in a defensive position. She knew she deserved it; but didn't expect what was about to happen.

Spencer held Paige's tearful gaze as she charged at her; engulfing her in an emotional hug. A hug that was 8 years overdue. Taken aback at first, the auburn girl immediately welcomed the hug as she pulled the brunette closer. Engulfing each other in complete warmth, Paige simply smiled as she watched Hanna approach them. Conveying the same act toward the blonde beauty, the three past friends stood together as they embraced the sense of happiness overcome them. Just the three of them.

Sensing the silent reunion occur behind her, Emily slowly stood up as she folded her arms toward her body; hoping the act created some sort of armor for her. She hated what she was feeling. She hated how her body was engulfed with goosebumps the second she heard the voice that disappeared on her 8 years ago. She hated how her eyes lit up when she knew exactly who standing behind her. She hated how much she wanted to just run over and engulf the auburn girl in a bear hug for hours without having to say anything. Most of all, she hated how she could tell Paige was going through the exact same thing the moment their eyes connected.

It felt as though everything and everyone disappeared. It was just them two standing in front of each other, waiting for the other to move or blink; but neither budging. Paige could feel the confusion and anger searing from the girl; but she could also feel the desire and longing the brunette had for her. Slightly parting her lips at the revelation, the auburn girl swallowed; forcing herself to speak up but was quickly interrupted.

"So the prodigy girl actually speaks" Spencer finally stated as she broke the unbearable silence.

Still keeping her gaze on the other brunette before her, Paige managed to finally croak out a response. "I…don't know where to start" she stuttered.

"How've you been?" Spencer continued. "You look amazing by the way" the beauty continued as she circled around the auburn girl. "How did you get so toned?"

"And your abs!" Hanna soon chimed in as she reached out to feel Paige's toned torso. "I've never seen abs as cut throat as yours. And you grew out your hair!" the blonde beauty exclaimed as she combed her fingers through Paige's long auburn hair without any disregard to how awkward she was making the girl feel. "It's gorgeous"

Letting out a genuine laugh, Paige's eyes lit up as she finally dragged her gaze toward Hanna before removing the girl's hands from her hair. "Thanks Hanna. I uh, just began working out a lot"

"Well, that's incredible" the slim brunette responded as she brought Paige toward the area where the girls were sitting. "Who would have thought Paige McCullers…a Special Ops Officer?"

"I honestly would have bet you'd be a scientist or a doctor or something" Hanna stated before taking her seat and lifting her coffee toward her lips.

Laughing yet again at how good it felt to be around the girls, Paige gave an honest answer. "I know. I didn't really know what I wanted to be when I was at Stanford. The opportunity just presented itself"

"We heard" Spencer simply replied before taking a sip of her own coffee.

"Right" the auburn girl responded as she snapped back to reality. This was business. "Did Aiden debrief you on all of us?"

"For the most part, yes" the slim brunette answered.

"Good. So you know we're going to do everything in our power to bring Aria back right?" Paige stated as she made eye contact with Emily once again. Paige knew Emily was bracing herself from responding to any questions or statements she made. This was after all the first time they've actually had a chance to talk.

"Why should we trust you?" Hanna bluntly asked as she grabbed Paige's attention.

"I mean we do" the blonde beauty quickly added. "But why? You kind of just left us hanging in high school"

"I know" Paige mumbled as she looked to the floor.

"You didn't even come back" Spencer continued.

"I know" Paige repeated. Finally raising her gaze, she felt as though she suddenly shrank in front of all the girls. "Just…life happened"

"That's bullshit" Emily furiously stated as she turned her head to face the window of the cafe.

Taken aback by the fact that the brunette finally responded to her, Paige took it as a step in the right direction. "Look. Aria is missing. We need every minute of our time here to find her. Please just trust me ok?" she honestly replied. "We'll find her. But I need you guys to promise me that you won't get in the middle of this"

Watching as all the girls went silent for a moment, Paige tightened her jaw as she heard Spencer speak up. "We won't"

"Spence" Paige sternly stated. "Seriously?"

"What?" the slim brunette simply replied as she took another sip of her coffee.

"Pinocchio is a better liar then you guys" Paige sarcastically retorted. "Let us do our job ok?"

"Fine" Spencer tiredly replied.

"Thank you" Paige said before taking a sip of her coffee that was delivered to the table a few seconds ago.

"So are you free now?" Hanna asked. "Maybe for a bite to eat? Catch up?"

"I need to head back to the office" the auburn girl answered before getting up from the sofa. "But we will. I promise. I just wanted to see you guys"

"Like you keep your promises" Emily mumbled loud enough for the girls to hear.

Feeling her throat constrict at the amount of revulsion the brunette had toward her, Paige looked to the other two girls who gave her reassuring smiles. Slightly dipping her head, the auburn girl drifted her eyes toward the brunette's wrist before noticing the anchor bracelet she had bought her was no longer occupying her hand. Knowing she was no longer that Paige who gave her the bracelet, the brown eye beauty knew gaining back the girl's trust was going to take her time. "I need to go. But I'll see you girls later okay?"

* * *

Paige couldn't help but display a wide smile when she entered the conference; quickly realizing she was the last member of her team to arrive. Quietly taking a seat near the back of the conference room table, Dylan was the first to take notice of his seemingly lively colleague. "Well look who decided to show"

Inwardly flinching at the statement, the auburn girl knew she had to contain herself. "I had to take care of something" she simply answered.

"Or someone" Skylar clearly mumbled as she gave Paige a wink.

Arching her eyebrow toward her fellow team member, the brown eye beauty didn't want to get into this discussion right now. "Don't start"

"Oh come on" Skylar quickly retorted. "We all saw what happened with those girls"

Opening her folder from their prior meeting, Paige tried to avoid all eye contact with everyone on her team. Truthfully, she was more than elated to finally have talked to the girls. All along Paige didn't think she needed too. She thought she moved on from everyone and everything Rosewood had to offer. But just being within the same vicinity as the girls, everything came rushing back. It felt like her pre-Alison high school days. Where she loved everything about this place; everything about herself. Refusing to indulge the team in a personal matter, Paige stood on her ground. "Leave it alone" the auburn sternly stated as she gave Skylar a firm look.

Immediately understanding the look, Skylar back away from the auburn and focused on the facts in front of her. Not having to wait long, the beauty was ecstatic that the team didn't have to wait long in the awkward silence.

"Alright team" Commander Maloney greeted as he closed the conference doors behind him once he entered. "The Osprey is being checked and re-fueled as we speak" he firmly stated. "You guys are headed for the Harrisonburg area. Caminiti has a stash house down there"

"Can you tell how much ground we have to cover?" Aiden asked he began taking notes of the instructions.

"No" the commanding officer admitted. "We have no eyes or ears down there. You'll be the first to let us know what you find" he continued disclosing.

"When do we leave?" Dylan soon followed.

"4 hours" the sturdy man answered. "I suggest you suit up"

Paige immediately caught the underlying intention from her commanding officer. "What do we need?"

"Everything" Commander Mahoney instructed. Powering on the projector to show a map of the area the team would be dropped into, the superior officer continued. "Obviously you guys aren't getting picked up and we're dropping you in the middle of a feeding frenzy. We don't know what's down there and there's way we could communicate. This is the first clue we have to find that girl. Remember, we only have a certain window for this" he firmly added.

"Basically we're reliving the Caminiti era over here" David pin pointed as he began seeing the similarities between both assignments.

Nodding his head in agreement, Commander Mahoney continued. "Be careful down there. We lost a lot of officers trying to capture that guy. And now that we see some signs that he's back, it's definitely not a good thing" he acknowledged. "He's out to get revenge. He's out to get blood"

"Why take Aria though?" Skylar asked. "She has no record. She doesn't even have a cavity actually" she continued as she looked at the file in front of her.

"We still have no leads to why these two are connected" the lead officer admitted. "Paige, who know her better than any of. Care to shed some light?"

Leaning back to remember what the petite brunette was like, Paige answered honestly. "Aria was an artsy girl from what I remember. She liked to write and take pictures. She's not into drugs. Unless-"

"Unless what?" Aiden quickly asked as he watched as his co-lead began focusing on the file in front of him.

"Unless Aria took the wrong kind of picture" Paige answered; stating her assumption.

"What you mean?" David asked.

"Maybe she went out there and was aiming to take a picture of a tree but ended up taking a picture of one of Caminiti's men" Paige answered as she gave a theoretical answer.

"Then why not just kill her?" Skylar bluntly asked as the question hit Paige with the realization. "Why go through the hassle of kidnapping her?" the hazel eye beauty continued.

"I don't know" the auburn girl whispered.

"Find out" the commander instructed. "We can't add another headcount to Caminiti's list"

"We won't let that happen" Paige firmly responded.

Taken aback by her tone, the lead officer knew he had to put his subordinate in line. "McCulllers. I know this hits home. But you have to focus"

"I am focus" Paige angrily answered back as looked at her commanding officer.

"Good" Commander Mahoney responded as she held Paige's stare. "Because we need the five of you out there at your best"

"That's all we bring" Aiden replied as he tried to ease the sudden tension.

"That's what I want to hear" the commander responded. "Be safe out there" he finally stated before leaving the team to talk with themselves.

Waiting for Commander Mahoney to leave the room, Aiden needed to speak up. "What the hell was that?"

"What?" Paige senselessly asked as she continued gathering her things.

"Talking back to your superior officer like that?" the team lead sternly answered.

Paige widened her eyes as she realized Aiden was siding with the commanding officer. "He just accused me of not focusing" she stated as she raised her voice. "When have I not focused on a task?"

"Well we never had to deal with a group of your old friends before" David quietly answered.

"I'm focused" Paige stated as she tried to reassure her team she's in it 100%.

"You better be" Skylar chimed in. "Because if you're not, you're putting all our asses on the line"

"I know that" the auburn girl quietly answered; beginning to feel guilty of her connection to the case.

"Paige, we're family here" Aiden tenderly stated. "We've been through the worse and back. Don't let these girls erase everything you worked for" he continued.

"We're just looking out for you" Dylan added.

Watching as Paige began slouching as the team suddenly began ganging up to their co-lead, Aiden knew he had to give the girl some breathing room as well. "Ok, let's get set. Get a good meal. Doubt we'll have one for a while"

Allowing her team to leave before her, Paige needed to gain back her composure. She wasn't expecting the entire room to accuse her of not being focused. Yes, she was taken aback by the sudden appearance of her old friends. But she knew that's where it ended. This was the last day she was going to be in Rosewood until after the case was completed. Taking in a deep breath, Paige gathered the last of belongings before making her way out and to the team. Shoving aside the conversation she just had with the girls prior to the meeting, the auburn girl knew she didn't have time to entertain the idea of rehashing any friendships at this point.


	5. Chapter 5

**Siophiefandom/Guests'/melbevic2/naiel2017** – Thank you so much for reading and reviewing! Hope you like the next update.

 **Pailyanchormcfields** – I'm glad you agree with the progression of tension between Emily and Paige. Both girls are dealing with their own feelings and despite missing each other, the betrayal and hurt they're both feeling counters that.

 **Thecatfromaliceinwonderland** – I absolutely love your description of the last chapter. "Colorful memories" is just a perfect way to sum up the beginning. I never heard of 'Only Love Can Hurt Like This' so I appreciate the new song on my playlist. I know I didn't get a chance to reply to your PM…it's been a bit busy on the work end. BUT I will! To answer your question concerning the number of chapters…there are 21 chapters just like my last story.

 **Sofiadc66** – Hey! I'm more than grateful that you find the time to not only read but review my story. You don't know how much you made me smile when you managed to describe perfectly my intention of each chapter. However, you won't find out right away why Paige left so abruptly. But you will find out through the flashbacks and hopefully feel the way she did so you understand why she leaves. Also, you are not wrong! I try to end each chapter with a bit of foreshadowing of the next. I hope you enjoy!

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Pretty Little Liars or any of its characters**

Gripping onto the hand strap located above the open section of the large Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey, Paige kept her eyes pinned to the Smoky Mountains below her as the vast aircraft continued its ascend through the immense wilderness as it had been for the last 2 hours.

"Dave, are we in position yet?" the auburn girl sternly asked as continued her focus on the area below her.

Refreshing the coordinates upon his GPS chart plotter, the dark eyed controller quickly responded. "Not for at least 20 minutes".

"McCullers" Skylar urgently shouted as she readjusted monitor to make sure what she was seeing was correct. "I picked up 3 unidentified targets on our thermal screens about 5 minutes out"

Closing her eyes in frustration, Paige knew exactly who it was. "Seriously? Already?" was all she was able to mutter out.

"What? A couple of Caminiti's men?" Aiden questionably asked.

"No. It's the girls." Paige harshly returned before making her way behind the hazel eye brunette. "Bring up the infrared camera"

"Are you sure? How the hell did they get out all the way over here?" Aiden retorted.

"They always find a way. Caleb probably told them about our whereabouts. Why is it taking so long for the camera to come up?" Paige aggressively asked.

"The thermographic camera isn't working. It looks like whoever is using the woods for their exertion was smart enough to place hot spots all around the area to distort all infrared cameras" Skylar quickly answered before trying to see what else she could do on her end.

"Rivers?" Aiden asked. "Isn't he that video game lackey back in Rosewood?"

Shooting an annoyed look at her co-leader, Paige decided not to fuel the statement. "He's the boyfriend of Hanna Martin. If I know anything about that group, I know he's is going to be the ears for the group so he's probably giving them the directions as the girls is following"

"And how did he figure out where to go?" Aiden judgmentally asked.

"If you're asking if I told them, you must be out of your mind. You think I'd leak our plan to ordinary civilians and our lives at even greater risk?" Paige sternly asked as she looked at her co-lead square in the eye. "If you don't trust me, tell me right now and I will leave this case"

"I trust you with my life McCullers" Aiden calmly stated. "When you mentioned they'd find ways to be involved in the case, I didn't realize how involved they'd get. You are my co-lead and I we wouldn't be where we are without you"

"Glad we got that cleared up. From what I recall from the girls files, I believe Hastings used her mother's jet to get as close as possible. Veronica Hastings private jet is the only thing I could think of that the girls could use at their disposal since she's currently running for senate. Dave, if we me make our jump here how far are we going to be off from our target?" Paige asked as she shifted closer toward her coordinator.

Calculating the directions as quickly as possible, the dark eyed intellect responded, "We'd be about 141 miles out"

"Shit. So you're telling me we either risk 3 civilians for our intended target or risk Caminiti realizing we're here?"

"I'm pretty positive Caminiti already knows someone is coming granted those girls aren't even hiding the fact that they're coming" Dylan answered.

"Or how about the fact that it looks like a group of 20 plus men are surrounding the girls right now?" Skylar fearfully responded.

Glancing at Aiden, Paige gave him a quick nod; silently agreeing to what they were about to do.

"Suit up. We're making our jump here. Those civilians are now our priority. Prepare for everything. We don't know what we're about to fall into" Aiden firmly ordered as he began tightening the fabric around his wrists before heading to the opposite end of the aircraft to grab his pack.

Following suit, the rest of the team double checked their wrists and ankles before grabbing their own backpacks as well. Each making sure their weapon was safely positioned on them, the team lined up by the exit ready to jump.

"Dylan, Skylar, you know the drill" Aiden screamed over the noise of the aircraft. "You two will jump first yet keep at a slower pace to protect the area. Anyone that has a weapon, take care of from above. Dave, McCullers, we'll speed down a bit faster to make sure we protect the civilians at a closer range. Understood?" he asked before watching the team nod in unison. "Good. Be safe and remember…we got each other"

Within seconds, Dylan and Skylar both jumped off plane without a second thought as they instantly released the parapack fabric located between their legs and arms allowing their regular ops outfit to promptly turn into a wingsuit. Keeping her eyes on her team members that just started the mission, Paige waited until she noticed Dylan take out his long bow and Skylar extend her Axe Pistol before giving the rest of her team the go ahead to follow. Aiden was the first to jump out as he kept his arms and legs toward his body to increase his speed down. Next to follow was Dave as he acted in the same fashion as Aiden before Paige finally trailed behind descending quickly into the dark forest below.

Listening carefully of all surrounding sounds, Paige soon heard Skylar's Axe pistol to the right of her before noticing the 3 men surrounding one of the girls. As Skylar's aim immediately hit its target, Paige retracted her wingsuit before landing and tackling another guy and instantly hurling two of her throwing knives at the other. Immediately standing up to gain her footing, Paige reached for her machetes while realizing she just saved Spencer who was now terrified beyond belief as she braced against the tree behind her.

"I got Hastings" Paige screamed into her headset as she saw Aiden tackle two other guys to her left as he protected Hanna and Dave spear another man as he created a barrier around them. Instinctively realizing Emily was still missing, Paige grabbed Spencer's arm and shoved her toward Aiden and Dave as she began searching the area. In a matter of seconds Paige's eyes found the brunette being cornered by 4 men in the opposite direction the team had been planning on going.

Picking up her speed, Paige hurled out 4 more throwing knives to kill at least 2 men before she saw an arrow from Dylan hit one of the other guys in the neck giving the auburn girl enough time to counter a knife attack from the remaining guy as she drove one of her machetes into his side.

Retracting her weapon as the man immediately fell to his knees, her eyes shifted to the petrified beauty huddling in a ball near the trunk of the tree. Paige was more than livid. She never understood why the girls were so stubborn to allow anyone to help them. As though her body had a mind of its own, Paige found herself heatedly walking over as she was ready to give Emily a piece of her mind. But as she protectively wrapped her left arm around the brunette's waist to steady her, realization dawned on her of how close their faces were. Feeling her breath hitch at the proximity, the auburn girl couldn't help but drift her eyes down to the brunette's lips before refocusing them into the beauty's dark brown eyes as she whispered, "I got Fields".

Paige felt every emotion she once felt for the brunette come rushing back the moment her fingers made its way around the beauty's waist. Clenching her jaw, the auburn girl felt herself take in a deep breath before finally guiding the bronze beauty back to the team. As the two approached the rest of the group, Aiden began approaching the pair as he noticed Paige inadvertently using her body to somewhat shield Emily from the incoming argument.

"Are any of you injured?" Aiden sternly asked as he eyed each of the civilians' individually. When he saw them all nod, he continued. "Is there anyone else part of the group beside you 3?" he continued. As her friends shrugged their heads once again, Paige took a breath of relief before giving a quick nod to David to follow her.

"We need to get out of here as soon as possible before any more of those men come back here. Which direction do we need to head in?" Paige asked as she gave a quick glance toward Aiden however feeling a pair of eyes fixed on her. Knowing exactly who they belonged to, the auburn girl refused to allow Emily's presence distract them from their task at hand.

"The Southern Cross constellation is pointing in that direction" Dave stated as the two looked toward the night sky. "Meaning the Virginia headquarters is in that direction. That's our closest bet of being protected in this state."

"Can we get communicate out of here?" Paige asked.

"Not at all. The trees are interfering with the connection. We need to try to get out of the area" Dave recommended.

"Dylan, how safe are we from running into anyone else?" Paige asked as she turned to face her other team member.

"Not safe at all. Our position was probably instantly given away the moment our feet touched the soil" Dylan quickly responded.

Turning back to face Aiden as he continued yelling at her friends, Paige finally took a stand. "Hey, Aiden I think that's enough right now". Earning a surprised look at everyone in her party, the brown eye beauty continued. "Look, you could continue yelling at them at a safer position. We need to start heading south"

"No, we need to start heading north. We came from the south" Spencer quickly corrected.

"Do you know where we are right now?" Paige sternly asked.

"No, but-" the hasty brunette began before being interrupted.

"Then I suggest you follow us Ms. Hastings. Would you like to go north and continue your impressive self-defense stance I caught you in earlier after you encounter maybe triple the amount of men we just fought off?" Paige forcefully asked. Watching closely as Spencer's eyes dropped to the ground, Paige took that as her answer. "Then I recommend you listen to us"

With David taking the lead, Dylan followed as the girls found themselves tracking behind with Aiden and Paige to both sides of them and Skylar in the back. Gripping her backpack straps tighter, Paige fought every ounce of emotion flowing through her to turn her head to look at the brunette. Knowing she was standing closest to her out all the girls, the auburn girl relied on her other senses to know she was ok.

After about 2 hours of walking in silence, Aiden made his way toward the front indicating it was time to look for a spot to rest for the night. As the group descended their speed, Paige and the team huddled together to start building their tent as they threw their bags in the corner.

"You guys could use our spear clothing to change into something a bit more warm" Skylar suggested as she looked toward the girls slightly shivering. "It could get a bit nippy here at night"

As the team split up to get more done, Dylan took to the trees to make sure they weren't going to encounter any unwanted guests as Skylar and Aiden continued finishing building their tent. With Dave unpacking the food items, Paige took to the woods to find as much dry wood as she could to build a fire.

Finally finding a good handful of wood, Paige knelt down before she began setting them together in front of the tent as she ignited her match to light their campfire for the evening. Blowing lightly at the base of the fire, the sudden appearance of the brunette came into view stopping Paige from her efforts. The auburn girl couldn't help herself from fixing her gaze on the overlarge Green Day hoodie the bronze beauty decided to wear for the night as she combed her hair to the side giving the girl an effortlessly gorgeous look.

Out of everything Emily could choose from, the brunette had to pick Paige's spear clothes. Shifting her eyes upward, Paige found herself staring into the girl's chocolate eyes as Emily was staring right back on her. Swallowing lightly at the intensity of the gaze, something in the brunette's eyes told Paige Emily knew the hoodie had belonged to the auburn girl. Clearing her throat lightly, Paige forced herself to break eye contact as she pushed herself off the ground.

Brushing off her pants, the brown eye beauty made her way over to Aiden as she noticed the girls circle around the fire before sitting down comfortably.

"I'll stay up for the first shift" Paige stated as she helped Aiden straightened one of the sides of the tent.

"Agree. Dave and Skylar will take second. Dylan will take third. I'll take forth" the team lead scheduled.

Nodding in agreement Paige walked with Aiden over to the campfire before taking a can of turkey from Dave and sitting with the rest of the group.

"I don't think I've ever seen something as beautiful as the night sky over here. I didn't even realize you could see so many stars at once" Hanna stated as she leaned back on her elbows to take in the amazing view the group had.

As everyone looked up, Paige kept her eyes on a certain brunette. Taking in every detail she could as the glow of the fire illuminated her features; the auburn girl was in denial that everything she once felt for the brunette had left.

"It's because of light pollution" Dylan explained. "The closer you are to a major city, the more lights the buildings tend to give off. And in turn is why you could probably see maybe a dozen if you're lucky. I'd say we could probably see about 2,500 right now"

"Geez" was all the blonde beauty was able to reply. "It makes what Ms. Nicholas told us about the star constellations believable"

"You do know star constellations are real right?" Spencer retorted as she raised an eyebrow at her futile friend.

"Well yeah, I know it's real" Hanna quickly responded. Leaning back to continue her gaze, she needed to take it all in. "But I just never actually seen one"

"Ok, do you see that bright cluster over there by the large pine tree?" David asked as he felt the need to pass on some basic knowledge to the group.

"Yeah" Spencer and Hanna replied in unison.

"Great, do you see that other bright cluster about 2 feet away?" the team coordinator continued.

"Yes" they answered again.

"Now, I want you to follow my finger as I point out a few of the other bright stars" David instructed. "It's going to create the Hercules constellation. Once of the largest constellations in the night sky right about now"

"That's absolutely amazing" Spencer responded. "How do you know so much about the constellations?"

"We all do" Aiden stated. "We were trained to use them as our compass if we ever get lost"

"I guess Ms. Nicholas really was right" Spencer quietly stated as she looked up in amazement. "We definitely need to get of our little bubble of a life at home"

"I wonder if those Latin myths she use to tell us about were also true" Hanna asked as she began thinking back to the high school days.

"Well they're myths" Spencer simply replied. "It's kind of hard to determine if they are or aren't"

"But it would be pretty awesome if they were" Hanna responded with a smile. "Like the story of Cupid and Psyche. Come on, how adorable was that one?"

* * *

 *****9 Years Ago*****

Paige felt more than elated to attend English. Maybe it was because the weather was amazing outside. Maybe it was because the big science fair was coming up. Or maybe it was simply because she was surrounded by her friends. Paige couldn't pinpoint why she was so happy, but she didn't care. She felt rejuvenated; especially when her eyes landed on a certain brunette.

Biting her bottom lip, Paige wanted to talk to her. Besides the fact that they were on the phone last night for 4 hours talking about everything from music to shows to class; the auburn girl still sought out to be near her. Parting her lips to propose an idea, Paige was interrupted as the tall curly hair teacher entered the classroom.

"Good afternoon class" Ms. Nicholas began as she cordially greeted the class before erasing the board behind her. "Hope everyone is enjoying their day so far" she continued before turning to face the class as she pulled out a few English novels from her dark brown Hulme leather briefcase. "Now to conclude our discussion on the Renaissance, I figured what better way than to end it with a one of the best classical traditions we have out there; Cupid and Psyche"

Inwardly sighing at the timing of their English teacher, Paige took out her Android Sidekick from her back pocket to achieve her sudden craving. Setting up a text toward the tanned beauty, the auburn girl needed a direct answer so decided to be blunt.

 ** _From Paige: Free for dinner today? I know you have your calc exam after lunch, so don't want to disturb you before then_**

Pressing send, Paige looked up in time to hear another student respond to the curly hair teacher's statement. "Psyche?"

"Cupid fell in love?" another student asked.

"Of course" Ms. Nicholas replied with a smile. "He was the God of Desire. How could he not?"

"Who's Psyche?" Hanna interjected as the teacher had her fullest attention.

Paige could feel her chest drop when she noticed Emily didn't even glance down at her phone. _Does she have plans?_

"Can anyone answer that?" the brunette educator asked. Slowly shifting his eyes from left to right, Ms. Nicholas nodded her head at the realization no one had heard of the classic romance. "No one huh? Ok. Well Psyche was the youngest daughter of a king and queen down on Earth. The rumor was Psyche had this beauty about her where men fell at their feet to be with her. The love goddess Venus, aka Aphrodite, was jealous of this. So she asked her son Cupid to help with her revenge and make Psyche fall in love with the ugliest man alive. Cupid however ended up scratching himself with the arrow and falling for Psyche himself. Keeping it a secret, he kept in the dark yet somehow persuaded Psyche's parents to allow her to marry him. And she did, but she never saw his face. Cupid would only come see her at night and fly away in the morning. Through time Psyche began to fall for Cupid and told her sisters about him who were somewhat jealous of their marriage. Her sisters then persuaded her that Cupid was really a monster and he was going to kill her one day; so she should kill him first. And so Psyche began making her plot to kill her husband. One night after Cupid fell asleep, Psyche got her oil lamp and knife and hesitantly lifted the light to her husband's face making her slip backwards and tripping over her own feet at how beautiful the man really was" Ms. Nicholas explained. "It's scary how easy it is for a person to plant a seed in your mind before it takes on a lifeform of its own"

"But isn't it a good thing that her sisters told her this lie or else she would have never seen her husband's face?" Hanna asked.

"I'm sure they could have come up with a better lie than that" Ms. Nicholas retorted. "But what about you? Has someone ever planted a seed in your mind that took on a lifeform of its own?"

 _'Have you ever thought about it?' the blonde beauty asked._

 _'Thought about what?' Paige asked honestly confused._

 _'You know' Hanna began. 'You and Emily' she finally stated. 'Having more than a…platonic friendship'._

 _'Are you serious? No way!' the auburn girl bawled. 'I love that girl, but not love love her. She's the complete opposite from me…but somehow brings out the best of me. I honestly don't even know why she's friends with me'._

"Has that seed ever got you thinking about that person whether it was in a more positive or more negative way?" Ms. Nicholas persisted as she watched the class contemplate her statement.

 _'You want me to compare myself to Emily?' Paige asked. 'The Emily Fields? The star swimmer of Rosewood High? The bronze goddess who walks the halls and has basically every girl, and guy for that matter, tripping over themselves to just get a glimpse of her? Not to mention, I'm pretty positive when she talks bunnies and unicorns tend to come out of the woodworks just to listen to her'._

Continuing her intention, Ms. Nicolas continued. "Now even though that person who planted the seed hasn't brought it up again, do you find yourself thinking about that person at least a little bit more. Doesn't you're curiosity get the best of you? Where they are? What they're doing? If they're ok? If they know what you're feeling or thinking?"

Paige felt her heart pounding at the statement her teacher made. Feeling the small blood vessels in her ear beat harder to her heart beat, the auburn felt her phone suddenly vibrate. Paige could feel her mouth go dry as the brunette's name appeared on the front of her phone. Swallowing to help the dryness in her throat, she worked up the courage to read the girl's reply.

 ** _To Paige: Yes please! I don't think I've eaten since breakfast yesterday_**

It felt like she was in a complete trance. Paige didn't understand what she was feeling. She felt overjoyed. She felt emotional. She felt scared.

"And when they finally answer any of those questions, do you feel somewhat relieved when they answer the way you want them to?" Ms. Nicholas asked. "I want you to close your eyes" the slim brunette instructed. "I know I know, you're not in middle school anymore. But do me this favor and satisfy my own curiosity. Close your eyes" she continued as she waited for her class to follow her advice. "Now think of that person who the seed was planted for. Do you see yourself thinking about them as soon as you open your eyes in the morning? Do you see yourself thinking about them when you close your eyes at night? Do you find reasons to be near them throughout the day? Do you find yourself trying to put their happiness before yours? To put their wellbeing first? If you honestly answer these questions, you might find yourself actually falling in love with what was once a seed"

Gradually opening her chocolate brown eyes, the sudden awareness dawned on Paige like a ton of bricks. _Holy_ s _hit_.

* * *

 *****Present Day*****

"What do you think Paige?" Hanna unexpectedly asked as she broke the auburn girl out of her recollection.

Clearing her throat as she bit her bottom lip, Paige stood up as she brushed off the bottom of her pants. "I think we need to go to sleep. We have 4 hours before sunrise"

"I agree" Aiden retorted as he stood up as well before the team soon followed.

Paige could feel a particular pair of eye focused on her which made her somewhat uneasy. Not wanting to have to deal with the proximity of the brunette just yet, the auburn girl waited outside to collect herself.

As the group made their way into the tent, Paige and Aiden began throwing dirt upon the campfire to force it to out. With Aiden making his way into the tent, Paige took over Dylan's place and began her watch. Thankfully the area was completely silent, allowing the auburn girl the advantage of knowing if anyone or thing was approaching the campsite.

2 hours managed to fly by without Paige needing any help to force her eyes to stay open. Climbing down from the large tree she used to keep watch, Paige quietly made her way into the tent. Unconsciously looking for the brunette first, Paige was silently thanking the stars when she took note the beauty was sleeping between Spencer and Aiden. Skylar took to the end of where Hanna was and David and Dylan was to the right of Aiden. Gently giving Skylar a quick nudge, the hazel eye beauty woke up without a stir as Paige made her way to Dave to give him a gentle nudge as well. As the two made their way out for their shifts, Paige gently took over the position of where Skylar slept and easily fell asleep within minutes.

After working with the teams for four years, Paige naturally found her body waking up with the sun. Slowly opening her eyes, the auburn found herself on her side facing the tent wall before giving her body a quick stretch without really moving. Taking in a deep breath, the auburn girl suddenly froze as she realized the position she was in without even turning around. Clenching her jaw, Paige closed her eyes as she reveled in the feel of the bronze beauty right near her. Taking in the smell of the sweet freesia and red plum Emily always wore in high school, Paige couldn't help but feel instantly aroused. Paige could feel the small puffs of warm air the brunette managed to let out every time she exhaled. But what gave the auburn girl an even more certain sense that it was Emily right behind her was the way her body reacted to the simple heat radiating from beauty. Paige was certain that even if it was pitch black, she'd always find Emily by mere instinct.

Terrified to turn around, Paige let out the breath she was unintentionally holding before confirming her suspicion. Just like that, Paige found her face to face with the sleeping brunette right in front of her. Emily had kept her distance but was still close enough to auburn beauty to feel safe.

Without worry of anyone noticing her, the auburn girl found herself studying every inch of the bronze beauty's face. _Why are you so beautiful?_ Watching as a strand of hair fell into Emily's face as the brunette twitched a bit, Paige forced herself not to brush it away. Instead, she used her free hand to fully cover the brunette with the royal blue blanket that had fell off the girl during the night. Lingering a few seconds in the warmth, Paige felt as her fingers made contact with the Emily's shoulders before she forced herself to get up and check on Aiden outside without waking anyone up.

Stretching as she made her way outside the tent, Paige looked up as she watched Aiden descend from the top of the tree.

"How's the weather looking?" Paige asked as continued stretching out her triceps.

"Perfect. I think we'll be able to get reception within 3 hours. Not too bad" Aiden asked as he took a sip of his instant coffee he had made during the night.

"Not at all. Gives us enough time to regroup and see how bad it is now that Caminiti knows we're onto him" Paige responded as she grabbed an empty cup from her pack before pouring herself a cup of instant coffee.

"You and Fields. Did you guys have a thing?" Aiden asked openly.

Almost spitting out her coffee, Paige looked at her co-lead realizing she was as obvious as she felt when it came to the brunette. Licking her bottom lip, Paige looked at her cup before answering. "We never had a thing" the auburn girl admitted. "But I wanted one" she continued as she looked Aiden straight in his eyes.

"And you just left her behind when you left Rosewood?" Aiden asked.

"Yes" Paige simply responded.

"And now?" Aiden directly asked.

Before Paige was able to respond, the pair watched as the rest of the group made their way out of the tent; the last being the focus of their conversation. Paige parted her lips at sight of Emily's hair flipped over to her right side as the brunette did a quick stretch revealing just a small bit of skin by her waistline. Aiden didn't need to ask the question, he knew immediately where his team co-lead stood with the daughter of one of their acting commanders.


	6. Chapter 6

**DarkBlueMint –** I tend to believe the girls have the safety of each other in mind however don't fully realize the consequences of their own actions given their trust issues.

 **Naiel2017** – Thank you for that! I'm a sucker for mythology. I love trying to incorporate it with my stories. You don't know how much I appreciate you liking it as well.

 **Siophiefandom** – I love how you picked up on the characteristic of Paige. We all tend act just a tad differently when it comes to the person we have blinders for.

 **Thecatfromaliceinwonderland** – Thank you as always right back! The girls always put themselves in danger without fully thinking it through. Our parents always tell us not to run into a dark alley way alone at night and these girls basically skip toward danger. I did not write how Emily felt during that little story time; however you will eventually see her side of things. And trust me, I'm a sucker for mythology and constellations as well.

For the readers who really want that Paily interaction, it's a lot closer than you think. I would have loved to put the first interaction within the first few chapters…however I tried to put myself in Paige and Emily's situation and I think I would have been so livid yet thrilled to see my best friend after so many years that I wouldn't even know what to say. But anyway…enjoy!

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Pretty Little Liars or any of its characters**

The Joint Expeditionary Base located in Virginia was truly known for its historical background. Created during World War I, the base became the Headquarters for Harbor Defense Command during World War II and is still obliging 13 different organizations.

After making their way off the helicopter pad toward the main building, the team stopped shy of the revolving doors to take in the massive historic setting. They've been to several bases before, however most of them were new and modern. None of them had the history and pride this place held.

Feeling a sudden sense of honor dawn upon them, the group continued through the large glass revolving doors where they were met with one of the Sergeant's up front. Immediately showing a sign of respect toward the highly regarded officer, the team followed suit as they made their way toward one of the large meeting rooms the base had to offer.

Paige knew Commander Collins had a seething personality but was also seen as one of the most noble commanders the U.S had to offer. Stealing herself a glance of the tanned brunette, Paige wanted to protect the girl from what was about to happen. Emily knew her way around the base given her own father's title; however she never had to endure this type of reprimand from a high ranked officer.

Immediately hearing the doors open, the team got to their feet awaiting orders from their commanding officer. Observing as the clean cut man silently making his way to the front of the room, he quietly sat down as he took in the files before him. Without looking up, he began the meeting. "Welcome to Virginia" Commander Collins began in a deep raucous voice. "Glad to see everyone's safe and hear there were no casualties" he continued before finally looking up. "Now, can someone tell me what the fuck happened down there? Did the target change from my last conference call with Commander Mahoney? If so, no one instructed me about this change" the heavy built many shouted as he stood up.

"It did sir" Aiden clearly answered.

"Officer Aiden Weaver, am I correct?" Commander Collins stated as he picked up the officer's file to take a better a look of who he was dealing with. "Well officer, when and why did it change?"

"While we were up in the Boeing, Officer Skylar Hensley spotted 3 moving objects on our thermal screens" the team lead honestly responded as he continued. "Officer Paige McCullers knew the 3 objects were civilians and friends of our primary target, Aria Montgomery".

Paige harshly swallowed as she realized it wasn't going to go well for the girls. Luckily they were just civilians; but the auburn girl knew Commander Collins was still going to be rough on them. Continuing to listen, she heard the commander speak up once again. "And you initiated the protocol to save these civilians" he stated before looking toward the girls.

"I did sir" Aiden responded as he stood tall.

"Even if it meant losing any possible leads we could have on Ms. Montgomery whereabouts?" the commanding officer asked as he stood right in front of Officer Weaver.

"Yes sir" the curly hair officer replied without hesitation. "We saw the civilians being surrounded by a group of armed men"

Nodding his head in agreement, the team was suddenly taken aback by the next words to leave the commanders mouth. "You made a respectable call. Are your suits transmitting any video recordings of your mission?"

"Yes sir" Aiden responded again. "Officer Hensley made sure everything was being recorded so we would have all our basis's covered"

"Good" the burly officer stated. "Officers Patterson and Keaton will take your suits to transmit those recordings" he instructed. "Officers Yang and Rowe will take your statements as we follow protocol. Once you're done here, feel free to take the rest of the day off to collect yourself. There are a few rooms for you over at the Mercury Inn about 20 minutes away" the commander informed the team. "Good job out there"

Surprised at how the events played out, Paige was even more worried for the girls. "What about the civilians' sir?"

"I need to have a word with them" Commander Collins strictly stated as he glared at them. Noticing the officers taking their statements approach the team, the commander continued. "I'll see you back here tomorrow morning"

Quickly and quietly making their way out of the room as they followed Officer Yang and Rowe, Skylar whispered to Paige her own concerns. "Why do I have a feeling those girls are going to be terrified after talking with the commander?"

"Maybe because I'm terrified after talking with the commander and I didn't even talk to him" Dylan quickly answered.

"Well they deserve it" Dave chimed in. "Those girls need to learn to allow officials to handle the process. It's their own fault we weren't able to collect any data about Ms. Montgomery"

Feeling a bit of concern, Paige knew David was right. It was the girls fault for just throwing themselves in danger. They needed to allow skilled professionals take the lead on this case. Tightening her jaw, Paige tried to change the subject. "Let's just get out here. I need something real to eat"

* * *

With a bit of hesitation, Skylar found it within her to finally knock on the girls' door. After talking with the group during their ride over to the motel, it was agreed on that maybe they should cut the group some slack. They've been through a lot in just the past few days. With their best friend taken, having a blast from the past, getting in the middle of a gun battle, sleeping in the forest and now getting yelled at by a commanding officer, the team knew they could use a breather.

Watching as the door slowly opened as it still had a chain on it, Skylar found herself staring at Spencer; visibly seeing how shaken up she was. "Hey. Well I see that you guys made it through Commander Collin's fury. You guys ok?" she asked sympathetically.

"If you want to call it that" the intrepid brunette retorted as she opened the door wider.

"Did you hear anything back from base regarding Aria?" Hanna asked quietly as she sat on the bed furthest from the door.

"Nothing yet" the hazel eye beauty responded with a small smile. "We're still awaiting word"

"So what are you doing here?" Emily bluntly asked. Thinking it was Paige's doing, the brunette had enough with officers for one day. "Wanted to see the outcome of being humiliated and embarrassed for hours?"

Realizing the tanned beauty was in a defensive mode at the moment, Skylar tried to think of the best way to ask the group out. "No, actually we've all been through it" she started honestly. "If you haven't noticed, the entire team is packed with stubborn officers"

"Tell me about" Emily quietly mumbled.

"I'm actually here to invite you out with us" Skylar finally stated.

"What?" Spencer asked confused.

"Well there's a bar in town with some good barbeque. We were headed down there for dinner and figured maybe you could join us" the beauty explained as she placed her hands in her pockets as she suddenly became a bit nervous. "It's not like we're forbidden to talk to each other"

"We're in" Emily found herself blurting out; earning a surprise look from everyone in the room.

Smiling widely at the acceptance of her invite, Skylar made her way back to the door. "Alright then. Just gather your things and we'll meet the rest of the team over there"

It only took the girls about 10 minutes to collect their things and freshen up a bit before they all hopped into the large black Cadillac SRX SUV and headed toward their destination.

Emily could feel her heart pounding a little harder as she realized she would finally be seeing Paige in a friendly environment. It wasn't because it was business. It wasn't because she was seeing her friends again. It was because they were having dinner and drinks. Pulling up into the vast parking lot of the rustic bar, the group immediately spotted the rest of the team leaning against their own SUV as they waited for them.

Immediately spotting the certain auburn girl, Emily languidly dragged her gaze from the beauty's long legs in her black jeggings, to her v-neck white top which was accompanied by the girl's black bomber jacket. There was no denial of how gorgeous Paige was. After all these years, Emily didn't understand how her body was able to react the instant she saw the girl. Clenching her jaw as her eyes finally made its way toward the brown eye beauty's face, Emily felt herself blush as she noticed Paige engulf herself in the same movements she just did. Satisfied with her simple spaghetti strap turquoise dress which showed off her legs perfectly, the brunette made sure she walked in front of the auburn girl to give her the full appreciation of her assets.

Noticing her plan working, Emily soon heard a certain blonde's voice from behind her. "Well don't you clean up well?"

"I'd say the same for you, but it doesn't look like you cleaned up at all" Paige truthfully stated.

Laughing slightly to herself, Hanna nodded in agreement before rapping her right arm around Paige's left arm. "I wasn't really motivated too"

"Well for the sake of everyone else, please find the motivation" the auburn girl said with a laugh before moving away from the blonde beauty. "I love you but sweat and dirt shouldn't be your thing"

Earning herself a laugh from everyone around her, Hanna had to laugh at the gesture as well. She knew she was a mess, but didn't care. All she wanted to do was eat something fulling. As she entered the large rustic bar, a large neon sign blinking a certain word made the brown eye beauty's chest dip.

"Nice! A karaoke bar" Hanna exclaimed. "Haven't been to one of these in a while"

The air surrounding her somehow made it harder to breath as Paige stood frozen by the entrance. Feeling a certain pair of eyes on her, Paige couldn't handle the situation just yet.

Turning to find Skylar, the auburn girl closely went up to her before whispering, "Hey, I'll be right back. Watch the girls for me"

"You okay?" the hazel eye beauty asked in concern.

"Yeah, yeah" Paige replied before glancing over at the tanned beauty who was staring right back at her. "I just need a breather"

* * *

 *****9 Years Ago*****

Leisurely raising her gaze from the tanned beauty's long legs to her short denim skirt, Paige couldn't think of anything that looked more ravishing on the brunette than the vibrant cerulean drape neck jersey top the woman was currently sporting. From the blush Emily was now displaying, Paige had a feeling the beauty somehow read her thoughts given she was now smiling shyly in her direction; yet kept her gaze on the wooden floor. Biting her bottom lip, Paige instantly became enthralled knowing what a simple glance from the brunette could do to her. Without a second beat, the auburn girl finished her ginger ale in one gulp before heading to the stage. Emily's eyes alone gave Paige enough courage to try to profess her affection toward the brunette.

Watching the brown eye beauty whisper something into the host's ear, Emily's heart began beating even harder at the thought of what the girl had up her sleeve. Within seconds, her hunch was verified once she heard the music began.

 _I don't know, but I think I may be falling for you_

 _Droppin' so quickly, maybe I should keep this to myself_

 _Wait until I know you better_

Observing as Emily's left eyebrow arched once she started, Paige drifted her eyes to the beauty's lips as they curved into the sexiest smirk giving her push to start descending her way.

 _I am tryin' not to tell you, but I want to_

 _I'm scared of what you'll say_

 _So I'm hidin' what I'm feeling_

 _But I'm tired of holdin' this inside my head_

Finding herself finally in front of the beauty, Paige watched as Hanna and Spencer shifted their seats a bit further away from the brunette without breaking her gaze from blushing girl. Feeling herself begin to smile, Paige felt how in love she was with the girl sitting in front of her. In that moment, she wanted the entire world feel what she was feeling. To feel how happy and lucky she was to be that close with the one and only Emily Fields. Grabbing the girl's hand, Paige continued.

 _I've been spending all my time just thinking 'bout you_

 _I don't know what to do, I think I'm fallin' for you_

 _I've been waitin' all my life, and now I found you_

 _I don't know what to do, I think I'm fallin' for you_

 _I'm fallin' for you_

Pulling the girl toward her, Paige repeated the verse she just sang and as she began bringing Emily to the stage. Feeling the resistance the brunette gave her, Paige turned around to see the sudden fear in the beauty's eyes. Holding her grip even firmer, Paige rotated herself to stand behind the girl as she wrapped her arms around her before continuing their ascend back on the stage.

 _As I'm standin' here, and you hold my hand_

 _Pull me towards you, and we start to dance_

 _All around us, I see nobody_

 _Here in silence, it's just you and me_

 _I am tryin' not to tell you, but I want to_

 _I'm scared of what you'll say_

 _So I'm hidin' what I'm feelin'_

 _But I'm tired of holdin' this inside my head_

As they made their way on stage, Paige guided Emily to sit on the stool located in the middle of the stage as she continued on with the lyrics. With the crowd screaming and whistling around them, Paige gave the brunette a quick wink before she began swaying in tune with lyrics.

Giggling at how adorable her best friend seemed to be, Emily placed head in her hands to try to cover how red she was turning but honestly didn't care. Paige was the type of girl who wore her heart on her sleeves and Emily loved that about the girl. Besides seeming like the shy doe eye girl everyone pegged Paige to be, Emily knew her better than anyone. She knew Paige had that certain burst of energy about her wanting to come out. So if being serenaded to "Falling for You" helped the auburn girl get out of her shell, Emily didn't mind at all. Unbeknown to the brunette however, the song was Paige's confession to her.

Licking her bottom to stop herself from grinning like an idiot, Emily watched as Paige finished the song as she placed her hands on both sides of the stool. Looking deeply into the brunette's eyes, Paige didn't want anyone else to hear the next words she would say.

"So, what do you think Emily Fields" Paige stated whole heartedly.

"You're such a dork Paige McCullers" the brunette stated as she leaped toward the auburn girl and engulfed her in a tight hug. "Any girl would be so lucky to have you"

With tears in her eyes, all Paige was able to do was hug the brunette back. Emily didn't get her intention at all.

* * *

 *****Present Day*****

Paige felt the cool breeze hit her the minute she walked out of the karaoke bar. Taking in a deep breath to get her blood flowing again, the auburn girl needed a bit of space from everyone around her. She needed to think. Sending a quick text over to Skylar as she began walking behind the wooden bar, Paige knew there was a lake somewhere behind the bushes and trees since there was a certain chill in the wind.

Thankful she didn't stay long enough to have a few beers with her team, she continued her descend through the forestry area with only one goal in mind. After about 10 minutes of walking in uncertainty, Paige finally approached her accidental destination. Parting her lips at the scenery before her, the auburn girl could only look on in complete admiration.

Before her was in fact a lake; lit up by the night sky as the water remained stagnant from stillness. But surrounding the lake was why Paige remained speechless. Two large mountains stood by both sides of the lake. With trees and bushes completely surrounding the area, no man made light was able to disturb the area.

Taking in the scenery, Paige stood motionless before noting a small row boat at the edge of the lake about 20 feet away from her. Without a second thought the auburn girl walked directly to the small vessel. Instantly elated once she saw the two oars within the abandoned craft, the brown eye beauty pushed it out slightly to get it off the rocks before jumping in once it began gliding perfectly in the water.

Skillfully stroking the oars into the water, the small boat was able to get Paige into the middle of the lake within minutes. Stopping once she was able to get in a suitable isolated place, the auburn girl pulled the oars back into the boat before lying down to take in the night sky only a few would honestly appreciate.

Not only was the scene a rarity for her, but so was the silence. Paige could hear everything. She could hear the rustling of the leaves on trees as the wind blew through the night air. She could hear the night owl hooting. She could hear the crickets chirping. She could even hear the small waves in the water; the small waves which seemed to have been becoming bigger.

Immediately sitting up as she began feeling the boat rock slightly in accordance with the waves in the water, Paige tried to adjust her eyes to the night as she knew something else was in the water with her. Paige knew it couldn't be alligators since the area never had them; but whatever it was, it was fast.

Tightening her jaw, the auburn grabbed for one of her oars as a form of protection. Taking in a deep breath to gather her strength, the sudden appearance of the intruder came into view; letting out a sigh of relief and infuriation.

"Are you serious Em?" the auburn girl shouted as she continued watching the brunette swim her way over to the boat with no intention of having anything stop her. "Are you trying to get yourself killed?" Paige asked at bit calmer as Emily finally reached the boat. Trying to grab one of the brunette's wrists to help her onto the small vessel, Paige realized she needed to give the girl some room once Emily jerked her hand away. "Do you even know what's out there at night?"

Emily didn't respond; she didn't owe the girl any explanation. Visibly shaking at how cold she felt as the cool air hit her wet skin, the brunette immediately felt a warm piece of clothing surround her. _Pear and vanilla_. Closing her eyes for a second to take in the familiar scent, Paige could see the brunette flinch at her touch as she placed her bomber jacket around the cold beauty.

Shifting back a bit as she took her seat to give the brunette some room, Paige looked down at her hands before glancing back up to the scenery before her. There were so many things both girls wanted to ask each other. They wanted to know what they've been up too. If they're good. How their families were. How their jobs were going. It was even possible one of them could have gotten married and have kids. So much time had passed. So much could have happened in 8 years. Yet neither girl knew were to begin. They sat in silence; just allowing their bodies to get use to the close proximity of each other once gain.

A good 15 minutes passed before Paige finally heard the sound of the brunette; a voice that finally was directed to her.

"Why did you get a shark as a tattoo?" Emily directly asked as she kept her focus straight ahead.

"I'm pretty positive Aiden told you the meaning behind our tattoos" Paige honestly answered as she kept her own focus in the same direction of Emily's.

"Yeah" Emily agreed as she refused to make eye contact toward the girl. "But he also mentioned you were allowed to pick your own code names. So why did you choose a shark?"

Lightly clearing her throat, Paige wet her lips before nodding in agreement. Knowing what the brunette wanted to hear, Paige knew she had to tell her the truth; at least what she wanted to believe was the truth. "When training for the academy, we were put through a lot of different tests" the chocolate eye beauty began. "They tested our physical state. They tested our mental state. They tested our personalities. In one test, they wanted to see how well we were at reading body language. Of course they don't tell you when or who would be doing the testing" she continued as her focus was still in front of her. "While training, we obviously get close to the people we train with. We begin to open up as we do in anything. In school. On a team. At our job. We talk. After seeing someone basically every day, we unintentionally begin to trust them without realizing. Unless you're use to not making friends, you'd fail the test. And the way we know if we passed or failed is by them obtaining enough information about us and using it against us some way" Paige explained. "Either they'd break into one of our accounts. Or they'd break into our apartments. Or they even managed to get money from our loved ones; pretending that we were the ones who actually needed help. So while I was there, I was scared. And you know out of all people how I get when I'm scared" the beauty stated with a soft chuckle. "I give out false data. I try not to even use my name. So the information I gave, the unit thought they would be able to break into my account; which they did. But instead of them breaking into my account, they unleased a virus onto their own computers" the auburn girl clarified.

"Nice" Emily quietly stated as she smiled to herself. Paige was still the cunning girl she's always been.

"I thought so" Paige replied with a smile. "They always told me I have good instincts. I could smell blood a mile away".

"Ergo the shark" the tanned beauty pieced together; not fully convinced for the reason behind the piece of art.

"Ergo the shark" the auburn girl repeated. "George Martin once said "Never forget what you are. The rest of the world will not. Wear it like armor, and it can never be used to hurt you". It's my armor" Paige stated as she pointed toward the tattoo on her side.

"Is that the only reason why you picked a Shark?" Emily bluntly asked as she finally turned her head to capture the girl's gaze.

"It is" Paige lied as she swallowed the lump in her throat. "I know Sharks represent Rosewood's Swim team. I know it represents you. But it became symbolic for me outside that place" the auburn continued as she held the girl's gaze.

Scrunching her eyebrows at the statement, Emily became livid once again. " _That_ place. It was your home"

"Rosewood wasn't my home" Paige corrected. "It was just my place of residence"

"You were raised there since you were a kid" the brunette argued. "How can you say that? Who am I kidding? I mean you did just leave everyone who ever cared for you behind"

"Em-" Paige stated as she was interrupted.

"No, you don't get to use my nickname" the fuming brunette coldly stated. "What happened? What- What did I do that was so hurtful you couldn't even talk to me about?" she continued breathlessly.

"What makes you think I left because of you?" Paige seemingly unknowing asked.

Softening her face as though she wanted to apologize, Emily asked "It was, wasn't it?"

Breaking the intensity of their gaze, Paige looked back in front of her as she suddenly became restless. "I just needed a change in my life. I felt like I was becoming too dependent on everything there. So when I was told I could graduate early, I did"

"When did you find out?" Emily whispered. "That you could graduate early" she added. Observing as Paige shifted in her seat, she figured she'd continue. "Junior year right?" Paige slowly turned her head to face the brunette before Emily spoke up again. "Didn't think I would find out? Didn't think I would try to figure as much facts about my best friend's sudden disappearance? When I spoke to the college counselor about my plans after senior year I asked her when we would have found out about starting college early" she revealed. "Why didn't you just tell us? Why did you give us a day to practically come to grips with that?"

"I didn't exactly have a plan when I decided to graduate early" Paige whole heartedly admitted. "I just wanted to. I just wanted to leave Rosewood as soon as possible"

"Why?" Emily pleaded again. "You need to give me something. You need to help me understand why you just left me" the brunette tearfully begged.

Feeling her throat constrict at the emotional confession, Paige knew she had to turn the situation around. "It doesn't matter now. And it won't matter after we find Aria. I have no intention of going back to Rosewood after this"

"It matters to me" Emily corrected. "It matters to all of us" she continued as it dawned on her Paige might not care about them as much as they cared about her.

"High School is over Emily" Paige coldly stated. "College is over. Life happened. Why do you want to reminisce on something that happened 8 years ago?"

Livid at what came out of the auburn girl's mouth, Emily got back her footing. " _Why_ Paige? Why? Seriously? You and I were attached at the hip for 3 and a half years. We were so close people use to ask me about your whereabouts. Then you just left" she yelled out.

"We should start heading back" Paige calmly stated as she realized the brunette was not going to let her off the hook just yet.

"You could throw daggers at target 200 feet away. You could jump out of a military plane thousands of feet in the air. But you can't answer a simple question?" Emily shouted again as she prevented Paige from taking one of the oars. "Why didn't you give me the flowers you threw out in the locker room the day of my race? Didn't think I'd realize those were from you? The anchor bracelet gave it away. You know…the one in the same boat as your tattoo" the brunette continued as she exposed her own discoveries.

"What do you want from me?" Paige frustratingly asked; finally showing some emotion.

"The truth" Emily simply stated.

"You. Spencer. Hanna. Aria. You were all my family. I trusted you with my life. I trusted you with my secrets. I would have and probably will still do anything for you" Paige truthfully stated as she combed back her hair in hindrance.

"So why did you just leave?" Emily asked again.

Letting out a small sigh, Paige knew Emily couldn't be this dense. "You honestly can't piece it together? You could piece together everything else but that? You saw the flowers" Paige began. "You saw the location of the flowers. Piece it together Em. It was because you were making out with Alison. _You_ were making out with Alison. Right there. In the locker room" the auburn girl finally stated out loud for the first time in years. "My best friend and my worst enemy. And it wasn't even like it was only her that kissed you. You were the one leading it" the beauty exposed. "Do you know how much that hurts? Or use to hurt? How much betrayal I felt? I told you how she used to make me feel. How much of an impact she had on me. How badly I just wanted to get rid of that pain. How I rather feel physical pain then an emotional one. And you were the one who convince me to continue. _To fight_. And you'd be right there standing by my side. Yet there you were, kissing her" Paige tearfully admitted as she couldn't bare look at the brunette in the eye. "So I stopped fighting. You didn't honestly think I was going to stay and watch you two get together right? So I walked away". Angry at herself for allowing herself to get so emotional, Paige bit her bottom lip as the two sat there in silence once again.

"I was confused" Emily emotionally pleaded feeling guilty. She knew that was not going to help the two get back to where they were.

Nodding at the answer the brunette gave her, Paige drifted her eyes upward to grab the brunette's gaze before asking her the next question. "Did you eventually figure it out? I mean, in the 6 months you guys were dating after I left, did you figure it out?" she revealed.

Emily's eyes widen at the sudden revelation. "Paige-"

"We should start heading back. I wouldn't want you catching a cold or anything" the auburn girl casually replied before she began rowing their way back to land as the deafening silence fell upon them.


	7. Chapter 7

**Guest1** – Their first encounter needed to be emotional given their past. Plus, I couldn't just have their first interaction be together with the other girls. It needed to be unique…something that was just theirs. I hope you liked it!

 **Shanti** – I definitely agree Paige needs to be emotionally tougher, but sometimes you could train yourself to build this wall against everything and everyone…but that first love you have can rip it down with merely eye contact.

 **EUgrl** \- I hope it does!

 **Naiel2017** – I'm so glad you like reading the story and I'm especially glad you were able to understand why Paige acted the way she did. AND…thank you again for always leaving a comment! I really do appreciate it!

 **Emily . Anon** – I'm really glad you love reading the story! Trust me…I wanted to knock some sense into Emily as well when I was writing that chapter. But I have plenty in store for these two.

 **Guest2** – Hahahaha, Paige always holds things inside…but she eventually shares her feelings with the world!

 **Siophiefandom** – Oh you! I couldn't help but crack up when I saw your comment. I'd like to think Emily wore her dress while swimming…so when she pulled herself onto the boat…Paige had to use her imagination a bit as she was only able watch in admiration as the soaking dress hung tightly around Emily's body.

 **Guest3/Pailyshark** – I love hearing it every time you guys say it! I was honestly a bit hesitant in posting the story because I wasn't sure how the action story would play…but I love protective Paige!

 **Thecatfromaliceinwonderland** – Well I hope you liked the paily interaction! I have plenty of paily moments waiting for you. If I give you warning…where's the fun in that? I loved that you picked up on my George Martin quote! You always pick up on those little characteristics of mine. I tried looking for that song you recommended but I couldn't find it. Thanks for that tho!

 **Sofiadc66** – you sure know how to encourage someone to continue writing without even realizing it. So first off…thank you! Especially since I know how busy you are…you always find time to review. The flashbacks I include are all important because you see how connected the girls are. You see how they begin to recognize their feelings for each other. I'll always promote Paily love! Thanks again for the amazing review!

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Pretty Little Liars or any of its characters**

Paige could feel the intensity of those profound brown eyes fixated on her. She knew Emily was watching her as soon as she had entered the conference room. Making sure she took a seat at the opposite end of the semi-circle granite table, Paige almost immediately began focusing on the vanilla folder in front of her.

Ever since their conversation last night, Emily tried to talk to Paige. When they got back to the group, Emily headed straight for the rest room as she felt like she was about to have a panic attack. Finally collecting herself after a few minutes, the brunette was more than just determined to talk it out with Paige. She kept eyeing the girl, but Paige always found a way to ignore her. Thinking the auburn girl rather communicate another way, Emily found herself mistaken as Paige had disregarded her texts, her calls and even her instant messages.

The auburn girl was thankful her team was surrounding her. She could sense Emily's frustration the minute she sat down. And if she still knew the girl as well as she use too, Paige knew Emily would end up cornering her somewhere only they could speak; that was the last thing Paige wanted. Paige wanted to get as far away from the girls as she could.

In all honesty, Paige had no intention at revealing anything to the brunette the night before. She didn't want to acknowledge the kiss between the brunette and her foe. She didn't want to admit to knowing their whereabouts afterwards. She didn't even want to admit to having a Shark tattoo. But she did. Emily always had a way of forcing her to say truth without even looking at her.

As she continued her thorough assessment of the folder before her, Paige let out a sigh of relief once she heard her commander's voice.

"Good evening. Hope everyone's well rested" the robust voice began. "Thanks to Ms. Skylar and her equipment, we were able to get a lead. It was small, but we got something" he continued as he began playing the footage they found on the large projector in front of the room. "Ms. McCullers, it looks like one of the guys were fighting was Mark Ferraro"

"Why does that name sound familiar?" Paige asked as she scrunched her eyebrows watching herself easily defeat the taller man.

Nodding in agreement, Commander Collins replied, "I was hoping it would. You may know his brother, Richard Ferraro. Aka-"

"The Beast" Aiden finished.

"You killed the Beast's brother. Congratulations" the commanding officer retorted as he looked toward the auburn girl. "Your next task is to bring the beast in" he ordered. Handing out the folders for the new mission, Officer Collins continued. "Ever since the Stanzini's case, we've maintained visual on him. And look what we found" the respectable officer stated as he projected the photo on the projector. "He has in fact been in contact with Caminiti himself"

"Alright, where are we headed?" Paige simply agreed.

"Chicago" Commander Collins answered. "According to his flight records, it looks like he will flying there tomorrow night for a business trip. That's where you will take him down. From what we gathered, it looks like he'll be meeting with the Steinburg brothers at 2026 N Mohawk St" the commander continued as he brought up the place of residence the perpetrator would be staying.

"You have the exact address?" Dylan asked with a little suspicion in his voice.

"Our agents are good at their job" the commanding officer replied.

Scrunching his eyebrows in doubt, Aiden was in agreement with his team member. "Seems a bit careless from someone like the Beast just to give away his location"

"Do you think it's a trap?" Paige asked her co-lead.

"It could be a diversion" Aiden retorted.

"Well then he'll be coming after you, Ms. McCullers" Commander Collins grimly stated.

Emily's eyes widened at the statement made by the commanding officer of the case. The mere thought of Paige getting injured or worse stricken the brunette with guilt as it dawned her she was the reason why the team was in this situation. If it wasn't for her or her friends on stubbornness, the team could have brought Aria home. Suddenly pulled out of her thoughts, Emily heard the auburn speak up again.

"I always appreciate the attention" Paige replied with sarcasm.

"Glad to hear it" Commander Collins countered. Turning back to the projector, the well-built officer continued refining his command as he began showing past assignments the beast was a part of. "As we all know the Beast is known for his not so traditional interrogation methods. He uses your deepest fears against you" the muscular officer disquietingly stated as he showed pictures of the beast's victims. "He'll break you down, torture you in every way and then use you against your own allies".

"And you want her to fight him?" Emily furiously blurted out before she could stop herself

"Emily-" Spencer mumbled before Commander Collins focused his attention on the brunette.

"Ms. Fields, we didn't bring you here for your approval" the high ranking officer harshly stated. "We brought you here to make sure you don't have any other bright ideas up your sleeves to distract this team" he continued bleakly. "The officers sitting before you are the best of the best. This is what they've been trained to do; to bring back _your_ friend"

Emily could feel herself shrink as she felt all eyes on her on. Refusing to look anyone, Emily kept her eyes in front of her before replying to the accounts Commander Collins made against her. "Apologies sir" she simply mumbled. Emily could see Paige's lips part as the entire confrontation started. This was her job. And here she was acting as an overprotective friend.

"Does your team have everything they need for this operation?" the commander asked bringing the attention back to the case at hand.

"Yes sir" Aiden replied.

"Good" the formed man responded. "You leave in 4 hours. Be safe and good luck" he stated before leaving the conference room.

Waiting until the commanding office left the room, Aiden stood up and focused his attention toward the group of civilians. He knew Paige and Emily had a stronger bond than with any of the girls which made her outburst reasonable. But Aiden still had to have a handle of the situation. "We do appreciate your concern for our safety. But you also need to know this is what we do for a living. You need to trust us"

"We do" Spencer spoke on behalf of the entire group.

Emily still felt herself shrinking as her friends gathered around to her to protect her. Raising her eyes to meet the auburn girl's chocolate eyes, she was immediately met with the girl's sympathetic gaze. Holding onto the girl's stare, Emily could tell Paige understood her outburst but was still a bit angry for speaking out the way she did. Looking back down at her hands as she folded them in her lap, she continued listening as Aiden addressed them once again.

"I do believe you. And I understand you need some adjusting to our….occupation. But we need to be focused. We can't worry about additional threats" Aiden continued his lecture.

"We understand" Hanna defensively replied.

Accepting everyone was on edge given this was the first time the girls were a part of a debriefing before their mission; Aiden simply nodded his head in agreement. "Officer Cruz will take you back to the safe house. We need to prepare for the assignment" he stated as he tried changing the subject. Watching the slim officer make his way into the room, the team took it as an indication to leave group behind.

Paige couldn't help but shift her eyes back to the brunette once more; met instantly with the girl's gaze. Holding onto each other's eye contact once more, the auburn cleared her throat before following the team.

"Be safe" Spencer mumbled loud enough for the team to hear before they weren't in earshot.

* * *

Well over 20 minutes into their flight, the team began checking on their suits and their weapons to ensure everything was working as they should. Laughing at the antics Dylan and Skylar seem to be enlightening their team with, it would appear the group was off to a more favorable destination. But that assumption was easily disregarded as Skylar cranked her shot gun to make sure it was actuated.

Broken out of their content stupor, the team was soon interrupted by a familiar voice. "Office Weaver, Commander Collins is on the line" the pilot called out on their ear piece.

Pressing the button located on his talkie to speak, Aiden obliged the order. "Office Weaver here. I understand" was all the team lead said before he focused his attention onto the pilot. "Turn the plane around. New coordinates. 37.5 N, 79 W" he abruptly ordered.

"Aiden, what's going on?" Paige asked as she saw the immediate change in her co-lead's posture.

"We have a new mission" Aiden simply responded as the team held onto the closest rail to them when the plane made an immediate right.

"Right now?" David asked as he was equally as confused.

Focusing his attention toward the front windows, Aiden peculiarly answered. "It takes priority"

"Which is-" Skylar asked before Aiden finally answered.

"The girls were taken" the build team lead firmly replied as he looked directly into Paige's eyes.

* * *

 *****9 Years Ago*****

"Mexico?" Paige exasperated. "As in…Mexico? Not New Mexico?" she asked in trying to grasp the idea of Emily going on an international trip.

Visibly excited as her friend was saying it out loud, Emily jumped to her feet and ran straight to her closet as she began rummaging through her clothes to start packing. "That's right! How amazing is this? Cancun! I mean I know Couch Fulton was trying to get us to experience different cultures, but nothing like this. This is just-"

"International" Paige immediately interrupted.

Peeking out of her closet, the brunette shot the girl a look. "Paige, focus"

"Isn't there travel advisories out for Mexico?" the auburn girl continued. Still trying to come to terms of the brunette leaving the country, Paige was paranoid of the idea. "I mean, there's kidnapping, robbery, violent crimes…I mean gun battles could just come out of nowhere sometimes" her eyes widened at the thought as she got to her feet.

Emily looked at her friend in disbelief. "Paige-"

"And it's not like you could just blend in" Paige began again as she ignored Emily trying stop her. "You're going with your entire swim team! You guys are probably going to be chanting some ridiculous song that is just going to be screaming out for attention" she pointed out in one the scenarios she thought of.

"Paige-" Emily tried again.

Throwing her head back in frustration, Paige immediately thought of another vulnerability. "Ugh and Courtney is going isn't she? She's like a walking neon sign for danger"

Emily couldn't control the smirk that crawled across her lips as she saw the auburn girl pacing back and forth in her. Tightening her jaw, the brunette quietly took a seat the edge of her bed as she tried to break Paige out of her thoughts. "Paige-"

"Do you have a taser?" the auburn girl suddenly asked as she turned to look at the brunette. "You could borrow mine" she shrugged.

"Paige!" Emily finally yelled out as she grabbed the auburn girl's shoulders to get her to focus. "I'm going to be fine. Coach Fulton checked the travel advisory website and Cancun is as safe as it comes. We're going to be going in a group so I doubt anyone will try anything. Plus we're going with a few other teachers so we have that as extra protection. We're only going to be gone for 3 days. The arena that we're going to is right around the resort we're staying in so we're not going to go that far" she managed to state in one breath. Feeling the brown eye intellect calm down beneath her fingertips, Emily gave her soft smile. "I'll be fine, ok?"

"But what about communication?" Paige pointed out. "It's not like you could use your phone if anything"

"The resort has free internet. I promise to email you every morning and evening. Ok?" Emily genuinely answered.

"It's not like I have a choice you know" Paige mumbled before sitting on the bed.

"You don't have to be so concerned about me. I could handle myself" Emily calmly stated again to reassure the girl she would be fine.

Taking in a deep breath, Paige didn't want to look Emily in eye; fearful of allowing her feelings to get the best of her. "I know. I'm not worried about you" she started quietly. "I'm worried about the other people around you doing stupid things to put you in a situation where you have to handle yourself"

Emily knew she was lucky to have someone like Paige in her life. Lifting the girl's chin lightly with her index finger, the brunette wanted the auburn girl to look at her. "Paige, I promise you everything will be fine" she reassured with a smile. Letting the girl go, the bronze beauty went back to her closet before pausing and turning around abruptly. "When did you get a taser?"

* * *

The sound of silence is eerily disturbing when you're accustomed to hearing teenagers protruding up and down the halls every minute of the day. Closing the large wooden door of his office behind him, Principal Hackett focused on the short auburn hair sitting still right in front of his Allyn Office desk. Clearing his throat to give the girl an indication that he was there, the middle aged man began. "Good Evening Ms. McCullers. What can I do for you on this fine Sunday morning? Your father said you have concerns over a certain matter?"

"Yes sir. Uh, well you see" Paige stuttered out as she felt nervous for having to ask her dad to call the principal into school on a Sunday. "It came to understanding a few days ago that our swim team was given the opportunity to go to Mexico this weekend for a quick demonstration of the culture over there when it comes to swimming" she began. "I had been keeping in contact with one of the members every day, twice a day. However, she didn't respond last night or this morning. Now, I've called up the hotel, but-" the auburn explained before she was cut off by the burly man before her.

"There was an incident Saturday night at a nearby beach" Principal Hackett began before seeing Paige's eyes widen in fear. "The girls are perfectly safe. However I believe their statements are being taken. Their parents were already informed late last night"

"What kind of incident?" Paige quietly asked as she tried to wrap her mind around the idea of Emily being hurt.

"A tourist went for a little night swim while intoxicated. They were pulled in by the undertow and security had to come save him. Our swim team had a front row seat to the whole incident while they were dining at a nearby restaurant so the security wanted everyone's statement" the bearded man explained.

Paige looked at her clammy hands to try to calm her nerves. "Oh" was the only thing she was able to respond with.

"Ms. McCullers, I do appreciate your concern with the safety of our team" Mr. Hackett began as he was satisfied to hear the concerns of one his students over a few others safety. "And if Couch Fulton or any of the other teachers didn't inform us, you would have been my next line of defense. I really do appreciate you bringing this to my attention" he reasonably implied with a small smile.

Without looking up, Paige shook her heard. "No problem"

"I'm sure your friend will contact you soon" the headmaster simply stated as he noticed Paige was still worried. "Try and have a good rest of the evening"

Paige could feel her heart pounding out of her chest. She honestly didn't think the principle would be able to tell her anything. If anything, she would have thought the hotel lost internet connection or something equivalent. But hearing the words 'incident' and 'security' swarmed the auburn girl with complete dread. "Will do" was all she was able to mumble out.

* * *

Forcing her eyes to adjust to the window still in front of her, Paige dragged her eyes toward her nightstand as she watched 3:03am display large on her clock radio. Listening closely again, she managed to hear the same buzzing sound that woke her up. Reaching mindlessly for her phone, Paige managed to murmur "hello?"

"Hey" was all that was said in a slight whisper on the other end.

Paige shot up from bed knowing exactly who that soft reply belonged to. "Em? Hey. Are you ok?"

"Yeah, I'm perfectly safe" the brunette stated to assure the auburn girl. "I'm sure you heard what happened".

"I did" Paige blushed at the extent she went to in order to find out what happened. Observing the tone in the brunette's voice, the brown eye beauty spoke up again. "You don't sound okay"

"Just…still getting over the whole situation" Emily admitted. "It's good to hear your voice though"

"Did the paramedics manage to save the guy?" Paige asked.

"Yeah, fortunately" the tanned beauty answered as she sounded defeated.

"Are you back in your hotel?" Paige sincerely questioned hoping the brunette was safe.

Bracing against her backboard, Emily combed her hand through her hair before responding. "Yeah. Couch Fulton allowed us to call our parents to let them know we're okay" she answered. "I figured I'd call you right after"

"I'm glad you did" the auburn girl replied with a smile.

Smiling back, Emily felt the same. "Me too"

Licking her bottom lip, Paige wanted to just give Emily a break from everything. "So how's the swimming culture over there?" she asked with smile; inadvertently making the brunette smile as well.

* * *

 *****Present Day*****

"Why are we taking so long to get there?" Paige furiously commanded. "How much further do we have?" she asked as she made her way toward the pilot.

"We're about 8 minutes out ma'am" the pilot replied. "We're going as fast as we can"

By the tone of their team member's voice, everyone knew how she was feeling; how scared she was. "Paige, we'll get to them" Aiden stated as he tried to calm his team lead. Bringing back to the rest of the group, he heard Paige speak up.

"A lot could happen in 8 minutes" she simply replied.

"We'll get to them" Aiden confidently responded.

Taking a seat at the end of the plane to calm her nerves, Paige looked back up to face Aiden. "How did Commander Collins even find out?"

"Officer Cruz was found unconscious" Aiden hesitantly stated.

"So the girls could have been taken even longer than we actually expected?" Paige asked as she stood up again.

"They have a tracker on them" Skylar reassured her team member. "We know where they are"

"I have eyes on the targets" the pilot yelled out.

The team didn't hesitate before running over to the side of the plane the pilot spotted the girls. Noticing the girls being exceedingly outnumbered by a series of men, Aiden quickly took note of the colors they all seemed to be wearing.

"Black and blue guys. It's Caminiti's men" the team's lead pointed out.

Paige didn't care who the hell those men were. All she cared about was getting down and taking care of them herself. "They're getting squeezed off the cliff" she replied to Aiden's statement. Turning toward the other side of the plane, Paige opened up the doors before strapping her gear on. "Get ready to jump" she ordered.

The team knew they didn't need to formulate a plan of attack. The girls were being cornered off the cliff; the plan was to attack. Given the fact that the group below seemed to be relatively unharmed, Aiden and Paige both knew Chicago was in fact a diversion.

Calminiti was smart at what he does. He always liked to get his enemies rattled. To let them know he recognized what was going on. This rouse was to let the team know not only did he know who was coming after him, it was to let them know he was watching them and will use anyone against them.

Her eyes landed immediately only Emily; she could see the panic cultivated in her eyes. Paige couldn't wait anymore. Turning to look at her team, the auburn girl made sure everyone was equipped before making the first jump. Falling at a speed at 156 mph, Paige was focused on her targets as she heard Skylar's shot gun next to her and saw Dylan's bow fly threw 2 of the men below. The brown eye beauty knew she was going to get the girls out with her team right behind her; she couldn't afford to think any other way. As she got close enough to her marks, Paige began discharging her throwing knives at the gunmen closest to the girls to make sure they had enough room to run.

Landing immediately on two of the men, shot's began to erupt all around her. Paige didn't care if she got hit; this is what she was prepared for. Pushing herself off the ground, the brown eye beauty grabbed the closest gunman to her before kneeing him to the left side of his body to break a few of his ribs as she performed a few jabs to knock him off the cliff.

Suddenly feeling someone trying to perform a double leg take down her, Paige felt herself being knocked to ground; giving her the opportunity to roll away and withdraw her machetes. Performing a Brazilian kick on her opponent first, the opportunity allowed Paige to easily insert one of her machetes into her adversary. Shoving him off the cliff as well, the auburn girl took the chance to discharge a few more throwing knives allowing her team to finally get the advantage over the gunmen.

Even though the opportunity gave her team the advantage, the option opened up Paige's defense to allow a few men to surround her. Fortunately, this wasn't anything new for the skilled brunette. As long as the gunmen focus was away from the girls, Paige knew her team could handle it. Easily defending herself against not only the gunfire surrounding her but with a few of the martial arts tactics used against her, the brunette thought her team would be in the clearing. That was before she saw a few more of Calminiti's men make their way behind the girls.

Observing as one of the men grabbed Emily behind, Paige second of distraction allowed one of the gunmen to use the opportunity to his advantage. Conducting a quick jab to the auburn's girl's jaw, the gunman followed up with a quick to her right side forcing Paige to open her defense on her left; allowing him to easily gash her with his knife. Kneeling almost immediately at the action, Paige didn't let that stop her as she used her arms to defend a kick the man was about to display toward her head and perform a flying side kick; forcing the man to fly backwards to his death.

Paige directly focused her attention to the brunette as her eyes widen in horror. As though it was happening in slow motion, the brown eye beauty watched as a smirk crawled on the lips of the man holding Emily before he easily pushed her off the cliff.

"No" was all she was able to mumble; loud enough for Aiden to hear as he focused his attention to the direction the bronze beauty was pushed. Turning his attention back to the auburn girl, the team lead watched as Paige didn't hesitate before propelling herself off the cliff as well.

"Paige!" was the only thing he could scream; knowing it was no use.


	8. Chapter 8

**Siophiefandom** – First off, thank you so much for always reading and writing a review to the story. I absolutely love them! Second…you'll see!

 **CaliGrlFoLife** – hahaha, I'm glad I was able to get your heart pumping! Hopefully the story has the same effect with the non-action scenes

 **Naiel2017** – lol, I've been told I have way too much imagination. So this is my way to unleashing it so I don't seem too weird if I go tangent during a conversation

 **Guest1/EmGarretson22/warrior29/Guest2/pailyshark** – I kinda feel honored that I was able to make your jaw drop twice! I hope you didn't mind the cliffhanger! Thanks for reading and reviewing!

 **Jhas** – lol! Well first off, thanks for reviewing! I would need to agree with you that Paige's act was indeed stupid…as you put it. But, do you think Paige would have act any other way if she saw Emily get pushed off the cliff? So now to your concerns. I'm glad I was able to at least address one of them already. For your first one, you will eventually find out what happens to Aria, however that isn't my focal point to the story. Think of it as a Paily adventure to find Aria (ergo if we find Aria…the adventure is over). And too your newest concern…I guess you'll just have to wait and find out! Thanks again for the review!

 **Thecatfromaliceinwonderland** – Well now it's Friday! Of course I was going to post today! I would have told you guys if I didn't. AND Batman has a cape…just saying. BUT I do admit I appreciate Batman for the sole purpose of Paige basically being Batman. I found the song! It sounds like 'Kissing You' by Des'ree.

 **Guest3** – I don't think it's selfish to hope that…so here you go!

On a side note, obviously you guys saw I posted Chapter 7 on Tuesday…hope you didn't mind. I needed to "celebrate" after a meeting I had that I was completely dreading…plus it was a holiday for me so I was in a good mood! SO…onto the next!

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Pretty Little Liars or any of its characters**

In mere seconds, everything took place as though it was in slow motion. Focus and determination was the only two things on Paige's mind. Watching in complete fear as she could only observe the brunette freefall before her, Paige tried to increase her speed of her parapack suit hoping Emily didn't fall unconscious or hit the side of the cliff before she was able to get to her. The only plan Paige had was to get to Emily. Once she did, she didn't know how or where she'd land. She didn't know where they were going to stay or what they were going to do.

Falling 979 meters, the auburn girl didn't see any ground below them. With only the sea water crashing into the side of the mountain below them, Paige removed any notion of trying to swim in that. Maintaining her visual on the brunette now merely a few feet away from her, the auburn girl watched as Emily stretched out her arms to try to reach out for her. Paige could easily see the panic form in those chocolate brown eyes she's loved for years. Tightening her jaw as she got closer to the petrified brunette, Paige managed to successfully grab hold of Emily's waist as she held the girl close to her; engulfing her into a hug.

 _Relief_. That was all Paige felt as she held Emily as tight as possible even though they were both still falling. Taking in a deep breath to steady her own heartrate at the thought of losing the brunette, the auburn girl finally controlled her emotions as she extracted one of her machetes and dug it as hard as she could into the side of the cliff.

Immediately forcing their bodies to collide at such an impact with the cliff, Paige felt her arm holding the machete feel majority of blunt as she used her left arm to shield Emily's back from hitting the cliff.

Visibly seeing and feeling how shaken Emily was in front of her, Paige's main priority was to access the beauty of any injuries. Scanning her eyes thoroughly over the brunette to make sure she wasn't harmed, the auburn girl finally spoke up. "I got you, I got you. Are you okay?" she breathlessly asked out of breath. Noticing the brunette staring at her hands which was gripping tightly onto the collar of her shirt, Paige tried to force the girl to look at her. "Emily, look at me. Are you ok?"

"Yeah" was all Emily was able to stutter out.

"Yes?" Paige asked more forcefully to break the girl out of her current stupor.

Finally drifting her eyes up to meet Paige, Emily a bit more confidently responded. "Yes"

"Good" the auburn girl nodded as she began to access the situation they were in. Absolutely nothing but a wall of rocks was in front of them, the sea below them and the sky above them. "Ok. Ok. Alright, listen" Paige stated as she took in everything she saw she could use. Positioning her feet within one of the rock formations, the brown eye beauty looked at Emily. "I'm going to need you climb on my back"

"What? Are you crazy? There's absolutely nothing below us" Emily yelled out as she gripped the auburn's girl shirt even harder.

"Em, you need to trust me okay?" Paige stated calmly. "I'm not going to be able to move unless I have my arms and legs. You won't fall. I have some rope we could use to make sure of it"

"Move?" Emily exasperatedly asked. "Do you want climb back up there? It's going to take you the entire day. Can't we just stay here? Your team will come for us right?"

Paige knew the brunette was scared. She knew Emily didn't want to move since they were seemingly safe for the moment. "We're sitting ducks if we just stay right here plus the team is a bit busy at the moment. We need to at least try to get an advantage over where we are"

"And where are we?" Emily shouted.

"I'm not entirely sure but somewhere on Mount Davis" Paige answered as she looked up. "But I think I saw an opening when I was trying to get to you. It's about a mile and half to the right. If we start now we could get there before night fall" she stated before gazing back down at the brunette. Immediately seeing the beauty look down in fear, Paige felt her chest dip. "Hey, look at me. Everything is going to be fine. You just need to trust me okay?"

"Yeah" Emily whispered.

"Ok, I'm going to wrap this around your legs and arms" Paige instructed as she showed Emily the rope she managed to pull out of her backpack. Straightening back up as Paige finished tying the rope securely around the brunette's ligaments; the auburn girl immediately remembered her gash as she felt a strong pain to her side. Flinching at the realization, Paige tried to toughen up for the sake of saving their lives. "Ok, are you ready? Wrap your arms around my neck and hold on" Paige ordered as she twisted her body a bit so Emily could easily hold on.

Securing the brunette's position on her as she wrapped the rope around them once more, Paige removed the machete she inserted into the crevice before her as she began positioning her fingers within the rock formations.

"Paige, I'm just going to bring you down" Emily dejectedly stated.

"You're not" the auburn firmly retorted. "I've had to carry bags of sand heavier than you. I'll be fine. Let's just get out of here" she stated easily feeling the pain on her side intensify at the first movement she made.

Ignoring the strenuous pull in her muscles, Paige began gradually and carefully making her way to the right of the cliff. She wasn't entirely sure how long it was going to take her with her injury, but Paige wasn't going to let that stop her from trying. After a few hours, it was obvious the girl was slowing down from when she first started but she had the same determination and focus.

Easily feeling the blood from her wound trickle down the side of her leg, the brown eye beauty hoped Emily wouldn't take notice. However, Emily did in fact take notice of her posture throughout the climb.

"Paige, are you okay?" the brunette asked as she felt Paige shake a little against her.

"I'm fine" the auburn girl determinedly answered.

"You're shaking" Emily worriedly replied. "Let me get off of you for a second"

"No, I'm fine" Paige replied again. "We're almost there" she mumbled more to herself then to Emily.

Knowing how stubborn the auburn girl was, Emily didn't want to get her mad, but still wanted her to rest. "Paige-"

"I said I'm fine" the unwavering beauty replied more forcefully. "Just give me 10 minutes. I could already hear the difference in the wind"

Completely confused of what Paige was talking about, Emily scrunched her eyebrows. "Meaning what?"

"We're almost there" Paige repeated. "The coolness in the air tends to pick up a bit the closer you get to any cave"

Paige knew her body was weakening by the minute since she was losing so much blood. The only thing she had to drive her to climb up that cliff was saving Emily. Pushing her body even further to make it to the last few steps, her body worked the overdrive the instant she saw the cave. Climbing even faster toward their destination, the pair finally made it after a little over 3 hours of ascending the rock wall.

"Told you" the auburn girl stated obnoxiously out of breath as small smiled crawled on her lips. Watching as Emily walked pass her to take a better look at the cave, Paige felt her eyes close before she fell to floor.

Turning around as she heard a large thud behind her, Emily felt all the blood drain from her body as she saw Paige lying on the floor. Running over, Emily assumed it was because she was so tired. "Oh my god, Paige"

Opening her eyes a little, Paige was able to mumble. "Ok, don't freak out"

"Why would I freak out?" Emily asked as she scrunched her eyebrows. Noticing the auburn girl trying to grab the hem of her shirt, Emily tightened her saw as she helped the girl pull up her shirt revealing the large gash Paige managed to get while initially fighting Caminiti's men. Widening her eyes in disbelief, Emily was beyond livid. "Paige, you climbed with that? Are you crazy? Why would you do that? You could have bled out up there" she started screaming out.

"I get it" Paige whispered. "But you could yell at me after"

"After what?" the brunette asked confused.

"I need you to stitch me" Paige stated.

"What? The only thing I've stitched were my pair of jeans" Emily frantically responded.

"Pretend I'm a pair jeans" Paige smiled out.

Emily wasn't in the mood to hear the auburn girl's humor. "Paige-"

"Em, please" the brown eye beauty begged. "I can't even bend let alone stitch myself. Plus I'm losing a lot of blood every passing second. I need you to close the wound" she continued before drifting her right hand to below her bullet proof vest. Stopping as Emily took out the syringe she was going for, she continued. "Then give me a shot of that. It'll kill out the bacteria and give me some adrenaline" the auburn managed to clearly clarify.

"I can't" Emily tearfully replied. "I'm going to hurt you"

"I need you too" Paige whispered. "Nod if you understand me" the auburn advised as she noticed Emily still looking down at the syringe. "Please. You could do this"

"Ok" Emily finally agreed as she swallowed to control her nerves. Wiping away her tears on her arm, Emily raised Paige's blouse enough to see how deep the wound was. Drifting her eyes back up to Paige, Emily saw the for the first time fear in her eyes. Tightening her jaw, the brunette wiped her hands on her pants as she knew she had to control her own fear so she wouldn't scare the auburn girl more than she was already. "I need…I need to take of your pants" the brunette stuttered; earning a confused look from Paige. "The gash goes well below your pants"

"Ok" the auburn girl whispered; feeling nervous as she felt Emily drift her hands to the clasp of her pants.

Emily herself was even more nervous as she slowly began unbuttoning Paige's pants and slipping it slowly off the brown eye beauty's waist. Mentally telling herself she was scared of hurting the girl, Emily knew she was more nervous of exposing the girl before her.

Parting her lips as Paige's bare legs came into view, Emily couldn't get herself to look Paige in the eyes. All she was able to do was focus on the beauty's toned legs which exposed her black lace waist panties. Feeling her mouth go dry at such a view, the brunette took in a deep breath to control her hormones as her felt her eyes drift off to meet Paige's.

Paige didn't need anything to take away the pain at the moment; the intensity of her own sexual tension with the brunette was the perfect drug. All she could feel was Emily's fingers on her bare thighs. The auburn girl wanted to close her eyes and engulf in the feel of Emily but she couldn't allow that to get to her. Seeing the lust in Emily's eyes, Paige knew the brunette was having somewhat of a hard time too.

"I need to uh" Emily started as she didn't know how to verbally say what she need to do. Holding the corner of Paige's undergarment, the brunette looked to the auburn girl before continuing. "Shift these down as well"

Arching an eyebrow at what the brunette needed, Paige simply nodded as she tried to raise her hips a little to make it easier for Emily to pull off. The tanned beauty quickly took a small towel out of Paige's bag to cover the girl's reserved area before unintentionally licking her lips and performing the act. Paige watched in slight amusement at how unnerving the brunette seemed to be. "You okay?"

"Yeah" was all the brunette was able to mumble out as she watched the girl's newly exposed soft skin knowing a certain area was right next to her fingers. Clearing her throat to gain her nerves back, Emily took the bottle of water to pure it over the wound as she began washing out the surrounding area of the gash. Taking the needle she was about to use to sew the area, Emily used Paige's lighter to heat the tip of the needle before starting to thread.

Clearly seeing the pain in Paige's eyes, Emily felt guilty for causing it but knew she had to take her time to not create any more damage. It took the brunette a good half hour before finally being able to completely close the gash as she was impressed by her own handy work. Smiling a little to herself, Emily finally spoke up after not speaking for the duration of her procedure. "Ok, I think you're all set" she stated happily before injecting the beauty with the medical syringe.

Lifting her head slight to take a look at the brunette's handy work, Paige was easily amazed. "It looks like you're a natural at stitching up wounds"

"Don't move" Emily blurted out as she ran over to the auburn girl's side. "You're going to pop the stitches"

"I'll be careful" Paige stated to reassure the tanned beauty as she pushed herself off the ground. "I just need to clean up a bit and put my clothes back on" she continued as she saw her blood stained shirt. Grabbing her extra black tank top in her bag, Paige removed her shirt as she felt Emily's eyes studying her. Feeling a blush radiate around her cheeks, the brown eye beauty was suddenly happy it was dark where she was standing.

Pouring a generous amount of water on her dirty shirt, Paige used it as a rag cloth to rub as much dirt off her skin before placing on the clean piece of clothing. The brown eye beauty knew any movements at that moment was strenuous on her and could easily feel the effect it had on her wound. Leaning against the cave wall for extra support, her eyes drifted toward Emily who seemed completely distraught over something. About to speak up to fill the silence, Paige soon heard the brunette speak up first.

"I'm sorry" Emily simply mumbled. "I'm _so_ sorry" she repeated tearfully.

Confused of why the brunette was apologizing, Paige knew she should be thanking the girl. "Em, this wasn't your fault. I was the one who went after you on that cliff. If anything I should be telling you I'm sorry for putting you in that position"

"No" Emily nodded her head as she walked a little closer toward the brown eye beauty without looking her in the eyes. "I'm sorry. For everything" she continued; finally lifting her gaze to meet Paige's. The look in the auburn girl's eyes told Emily she finally understood why she was apologizing. "You use to have this look in your eyes when you would see me. It was like you haven't seen me in years despite us seeing each other hours prior" she began as she started making her way closer toward Paige. "It was like you had this particular smile just for me. And whenever I saw it, I couldn't help but smile. You were my rock; my other half. Then I kissed Alison. Despite knowing-"

"Knowing what?" Paige asked as she cut Emily off. Feeling a bit of dread engulf her, Paige was suddenly nervous that Emily knew how she honestly felt about her.

"Despite knowing… what she did to you. Or how she made you feel" Emily answered. "I kissed her"

"It happened" Paige retorted as she looked to the floor before pushing herself off the wall and walking toward her backpack. "It's in our past. We move on. It doesn't even matter now" the auburn girl stated; inwardly flinching at her own statement and visibly seeing the impact it had on Emily.

"It matters to me" Emily clearly stated as she raised her voice. "You mattered me. You mattered to me more than anyone has ever mattered to me"

"Except Alison" Paige unexpectedly shouted out. It was too late now for her to back down. If they were having this conversation, they needed to be honest with each other. "I mean you kissed her despite knowing how I felt. If I mattered to you so much, you would have at least considered that"

"I had to kiss her" Emily honestly responded as she watched Paige roll her eyes and retreat back to her bag. "I had too. I admit I was attracted to her. Despite knowing every cruel thing she did to you, I was attracted to her. I didn't know why"

"We should find somewhere dry to sleep tonight" the auburn girl pungently stated as she looked out of the cave's entrance.

"I kissed her because I needed to figure out what I was feeling" Emily continued ignoring Paige's statement. The brunette knew Paige didn't want to hear how her best friend and worse enemy got together. "I didn't know what else to do, but I need to know if I was falling for someone who as malicious as her"

"And for a few months, you thought you did" Paige replied as she looked Emily in the eyes with a heated gaze.

"Yes" Emily honestly confirmed.

"Ok" the brown eye beauty nodded in understanding. Looking away, Paige walked over to the closest wall needing the extra support once again.

Emily felt her throat constrict as she closed her eyes; preventing tears from falling. It was hard for her to admit everything, but she needed too. In order for them to get past their current stump, she needed to continue. "We went to this Passion Pit concert that May after you left" Emily stated despite feeling as though the floor before her was crumbling. She needed Paige to understand how she felt. "By time we left the concert, my phone was just completely dead but I didn't think anything of it, but I should have known better since we've been there so many times. So when we found ourselves like sardines in the lobby trying to get out, I shouldn't have been surprised that we lost each other in the crowd. I was terrified. I didn't know how I was going to get out of there…or even home. I didn't have any money and just went into a full panic mode. Then I saw this girl" Emily stated as she tried to get Paige to look at her, but the girl refused to. "She had your auburn hair. Your straight cut bangs. Your built. Your height. And from behind she looked exactly like you; but I knew it wasn't" the brunette admitted tearfully. "All my fears went away. I wasn't scared anymore. Until I felt a few drops of water fall on my arm. I thought the ceiling was leaking. But it wasn't. It was me. My body just completely broke apart in that moment and I couldn't do anything about it. By time Alison found me I was huddled in a corner sobbing uncontrollably" Emily admitted as she finally got a glance from Paige. "She thought it was because we got lost. But it wasn't. It was because I didn't realize how much I missed you. Every time after that, I saw you everywhere; whether it was the park, or school or the pizza shop. And all I wanted to do was run over to you. But you weren't there" the tanned beauty stated as she felt the tears from her eyes fall. "Then, I went to this graduation party Nicole was having. I had my first beer. And my first tequila shot. And my first whiskey sour. And my first rum and coke. I was drunk out of my mind…but I didn't care. Because that was when I saw you again and finally decided to run over to you and hold you. It was Connie Richardson. You always said you thought you two looked alike" Emily explained with a slight laugh to try to cover the fact that she was crying. "I think it's safe to say she's still terrified of me. I'm so sorry" the remorseful brunette repeated again before completely breaking down.

Feeling her heart break at how sorry Emily was; Paige knew no one could help who they were attracted too. Reaching out to grab the brunette by the waist, Paige whispered "come here" as she tried engulfing Emily in one of her famous bear hugs that always made the brunette feel better. "Come here" she repeated as she finally wrapped her arms around the tanned beauty.

It was the first time both girls disregarded their adverse history and just gave into everything they were feeling. Emily couldn't help but snuggle more and more in the auburn girl. "I've missed your hugs" she honestly admitted as she wrapped her arms tighter around Paige's neck. "I've missed you"

"I've missed you too" Paige admitted as she was completely submerged by the feel of Emily against her and the smell of freesia and red plum surrounded her. Opening her eyes slowly, Paige found herself facing the entrance of the cave once again and repeated her previous statement. "We should find a dry place to sleep tonight"

"What are you talking about?" Emily asked as she disappointingly broke apart their hug. "It's dry over here"

Picking up her backpack from the floor, Paige put it on before answering the brunette. "Not for long. It's going to start raining in a few minutes. We need to try to move to a higher area" she continued before putting on her mini flashlight to start investigating a safe place for the night.

"How do you know that?" Emily asked; impressed by the girl's survival skills.

"Do you see those clouds over there?" Paige asked as she pointed toward a few of the white clouds right in front of them. "They're low. They're also called cumulus clouds meaning severe thunderstorms are coming" she whispered; trying not to get the girl scared.

"Thunderstorms?" Emily repeated as she froze mid-step.

"We're safe in here" the auburn girl stated as she tried to reassure the girl nothing was going to happen to them. "We just need to find a place where we won't get wet when it starts to rain out there"

* * *

 *****9 Years Ago*****

Paige's eyes flew open as another loud thunder echoed throughout the gymnasium. Adjusting her eyes toward the large windows, the auburn watched as the lightening began illuminating through the entire area. Observing as the rest of the students were undisturbed, Paige felt herself drifting off to sleep; until she turned her slightly to the left to see Emily was missing.

Immediately sitting up in a slight panic, Paige began looking around to see if she spotted the brunette but didn't see anything. After participating in Relay for Life at their high school, everyone was easily exhausted after spending hours running around and doing other physical activities. Paige knew Emily was as tired as she was.

About to push herself off the ground, a sudden movement by her feet caused Paige to focus solely on that area. Pulling the sheet off the object, Paige had found her friend.

"Em?" Paige asked as she noticed the brunette slightly shaking as a large crackle echoed throughout the gymnasium. "Hey, what are you doing down there?"

"Nothing" Emily mumbled.

Nodding her head as she realized how scared the brunette seemed to be by the sudden thunderstorm, Paige had an idea how to calm her. "Hey, why don't you come back up here? I don't think my headphones could reach over there"

"What?" the brunette asked confused as she finally locked eyes with the auburn girl.

"I forgot to send you that Phil Collins song for Ms. Siegel's exam" Paige explained as she began taking out her headphones. "It does wonders to clear your mind before the exam. Let me know what you think" she asked sincerely as she handed one side of her headphones over to Emily.

Feeling herself smile, Paige tried to bite her lip to prevent the brunette from seeing her small victory. As the song began playing, Paige could feel Emily's body immediately relax next to her as the brunette shifted closer toward her. Paige was unsure how to handle such a predicament. She didn't know if she should wrap her arms around the girl. She didn't know if she should place her hands above her head. She had no idea what to do which made her even more nervous. Taking her own advice, the auburn girl tried listening to the song to calm her own nerves.

 _Come stop your cryin'_

 _It'll be alright_

 _Just take my hand_

 _Hold it tight_

 _I'll protect you_

 _From all around you_

 _I will be here_

 _Don't you cry_

 _For one so small_

 _You seem so strong_

 _My arms will hold you_

 _Keep you safe and warm_

 _This bond between us_

 _Can't be broken_

 _I will be here_

 _Don't you cry_

* * *

 *****Present Day*****

After a few minutes of searching the inside of the unexplored cave, the pair managed to climb on a few craters; giving them the height from any water that might reach them. "I think this place is perfect" Paige confirmed as she took off her backpack. Thankful the opening of the cave brought in enough natural light as the sun had set, Paige knew the two needed to eat as she opened her pack. They've been through too many strenuous activities and needed to regain their energy. "Ok. So I got some trail mix, peanut butter and granola bars. What's your poison?" she asked as she laid everything in front of them.

"Peanut butter" Emily answered with a smile.

"Well some things don't change" Paige observed with a matching smile as she handed the brunette her dinner.

"And some things do" the brunette retorted as she drifted her eyes down Paige's body before taking her bottle of peanut butter. Watching as Paige slightly blush at her statement, Emily didn't want to make her feel uncomfortable. "Thanks. How's your cut?"

Lifting her tank top a little to view the bruise, Paige was satisfied with the healing process. "It'll be fine"

"Can I see it?" Emily asked as she shifted closer toward the auburn; unintentionally causing the girl to increase her heartbeat. Not waiting for Paige to answer, Emily raised the girl's shirt herself to make her own assessment of the gash before looking up to Paige. "Does it hurt?" she breathlessly asked as Paige held her gaze.

Nodding her answer, Paige forced herself to talk despite feeling as though she might just faint by the proximity of the brunette. "No. A little. I've gotten worse" Paige answered as she flinched at the unintentional dispute she knew she just started.

"Where?" Emily heatedly asked.

Cocking an eyebrow toward the brunette's direct question, Paige knew she couldn't lie. "The worse was when I broke arm in Turkey when my landing gear didn't deploy as it should have"

"You broke your arm?" Emily repeated as she tried to allow the fact sink in.

"Yeah, they gave me 4 months on desk duty" Paige explained. "I was shot twice in the leg but thankfully the bullet went straight through"

"Thankfully" Emily rhetorically stated. "Anything else?"

"Em-" Paige started before being cut off by the brunette.

"This is your life now?" Emily shouted as she pushed herself off the ground. Pacing herself around to control her anger, she continued. "Falling from planes? Fighting random cartels? Being shot at? Putting your life in danger at the whim of any call?"

Nodding in confirmation, Paige answered. "Yes it is"

"How? Why?" Emily begged. "You could have been the next Nobel Peace Prize laureates for climate change"

Closing her eyes in frustration, the auburn girl knew a lot had changed from the last time they saw each other. "You don't know me"

Frozen in step, Emily slowly turned her head to face Paige as she repeated the girl's statement. "I don't know you?"

"You don't know me anymore Em" Paige repeated herself as she held Emily's gaze. "What is wrong with what I do? I save lives!"

"By putting your own life at risk" Emily screamed.

"So? What if I do?" Paige shouted back. "Do you know how that feels? Risking my life for the sake of hundreds of others? Or even one person? I've been trained to walk into a burning building from land, sea and air. I've been trained rescue victims that were trafficked across the border. I've been trained to rescue people like Aria. So what? Are you telling me this profession is beneath you?" the auburn let out in one breath.

"No!" the brunette yelled back as she combed back her hair in frustration.

"So what Em?" Paige asked a bit calmer when she saw the brunette begin to hold herself.

"You could die!" Emily tearfully admitted.

Taken aback by how much emotion was engulfing the brunette, Paige didn't know what to say. "Em"

"You could die" Emily repeated. "I haven't seen you for 8 years. And now that I finally do I find out basically at any point of the day I could lose you all over again?"

"You're not going to lose me" Paige stated to try to reassure the brunette.

"Promise me that" Emily furiously stated. "Look me in the eye and promise me that"

Paige looked down at her fingers knowing she couldn't make any such promise. "Em-"

"Exactly" Emily stated as she took her seat and began eating her peanut butter without a second glance at the auburn girl.

Paige didn't know what to say. "Of course there's a risk" she admitted.

Knowing Emily had no intention of talking to her; Paige grabbed her trail mix before beginning to eat. Finishing up within a few minutes, she opened the pack of Nature Valley granola bars before eating one and wordlessly giving the other to the brunette. Feeling at ease when Emily took it, Paige gave the brunette a small smile before she began cleaning up the area.

After the day's events, it was obvious the girls needed sleep. Brushing off the dust from her jacket to use as a cover, Paige flipped her bag to use the back as a pillow. Drifting her gaze toward Emily, she thought the brunette was going to give a her a look; a look that would clarify their boundaries between each other. But she was mistaken.

Emily was still furious at the prior conversation they had. She knew there was no reason why she should be furious, but she couldn't help it. Here was Paige. This perfect specimen of a human being; smart, skilled and absolutely gorgeous. Yet Emily couldn't imagine what she would do if Paige ever got injured. All she wanted to do was protect her which was ironic given their situation.

Lying down with her back toward the auburn girl, Emily stayed on her side until she felt Paige lay down beside her. As Paige covered both of them with her jacket, both their bodies instinctively molded together as though no time had passed from their last sleepover. The only difference this time around was Paige felt as though her entire body was just drenched in goosebumps by the mere heat of Emily's body so close to her. Wanting to just wrap her arms around the brunette, Paige laid still as she looked up toward the cave's ceiling.

Paige didn't need to wait long before she felt her eyes grow heavy. Slowly allowing herself to drift off, the sound of thunder suddenly echoed through the entire cave; immediately making Emily flinch and shift even closer toward the auburn girl. Feeling her left arm go around the brunette instinctively, Paige knew Emily was not going to be sleeping tonight with the thunderstorm continuing outside.

Finding it harder to breathe as Emily laid so close toward her, Paige managed to think of an idea that would help the brunette fall asleep through the storm. Using her right hand to pull out her mp3 player, the auburn girl began searching for the one song that may help her. Finally getting to it after a few seconds, the brown eye beauty handed her the left side of her headphones over to Emily as the girl hesitantly took it.

Timidly placing the left side of the girl's headphones on, a small smile appeared on Emily's lips as a sense of warmth washed over her. Unconsciously shifting even closer toward Paige, Emily found herself lightly gripping the girl's tank top as she felt Paige securely wrap her arms around her; giving her a sense of pure security.

 _Come stop your cryin'_

 _It'll be alright_

 _Just take my hand_

 _Hold it tight_

 _I'll protect you_

 _From all around you_

 _I will be here_

 _Don't you cry_

 _For one so small_

 _You seem so strong_

 _My arms will hold you_

 _Keep you safe and warm_

 _This bond between us_

 _Can't be broken_

 _I will be here_

 _Don't you cry_


	9. Chapter 9

**Siophiefandom/Guest1/Guest2/Guest3/Guest4/warrior29/messymoo/pailyshark/naiel2017/yulebrinner25** – thank you so much for the reviews! And liking the story so far! I think Emily needed to be honest given their history…it needed to be a bit emotional for the last chapter

 **DarkBlueMint** – I think I've been watching way too many action movies. I'd like to think that parasuit Paige was wearing manage to slow their speed so she could make the stop without damaging anything. It's my idea of wishful thinking lol

 **EmGarretson22** – Hahahaha, they are disturbingly adorable aren't they? So no pressure on your end for that first kiss huh? I have a few other scenes in mind before that kiss happens. Let's just say the timing is about the same as my last fic

 **Jhas** – You are right! I love that song from Tarzan! I thought it was only fitting for these two…then again I have an entire soundtrack in my head. But in regards to your concerns…what else is on your mind that I could help with?

 **Thecatfromaliceinwonderland** – Definitely no hard feelings at all; I need the criticism to better carve out my imagination. The only thing I've had to base my action scenes on are movies which also contain those hard-to-believe stunts…but I absolutely love them. Thanks for reviewing as always! And thank you for the congrats!

 **CaliGrlFoLife** – Thank you for the review and PM! I just hope I do Paige some justice

 **Guest5** – I think that's the perfect comment for any writer to see before posting the next chapter. Thank you for that!

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Pretty Little Liars or any of its characters**

The smell of freesia and red plum surrounded Paige as she dug herself deeper into the warm soft feel of content cuddled into her. The sensation of complete satisfaction flowed through the girl; giving her the impression she hadn't slept in days. Taking in a deeper breath, Paige smiled as she couldn't help but feel relaxed. But just as the smile appeared on her lips, it quickly disappeared.

As she opened her eyes to the morning rays, Paige was suddenly engulfed with memories from the previous night. The warm feeling she felt cuddled into her was the one girl who ever made her feel alive; but broken at the same time. Tightening her jaw as she memorized every detail of Emily's face, Paige lightly brushed a few strands of hair away from the bronze beauty's eyes as she continued studying every line and mole the brunette had to offer. _Why do you have to be so beautiful?_

Paige knew she should move away at a safe distance; to give Emily some space. But she simply couldn't. Watching at how perfectly her arms wrapped around the beauty's waist as it drew her closer, Paige modestly reveled in the body heat Emily was eluding.

Closing her eyes to compose herself, Paige gently unwrapped herself from brunette as she leaned to the other side before finally standing up. Noticing Emily begin to stir a bit, the auburn girl knew the beauty was going to wake up any minute now. Stretching to wake herself up a bit more, Paige walked over to the opening of the cave to see if the rain from last night caused any damage.

Noticing nothing out of the ordinary, Paige had a gut feeling something was wrong. It only took a matter of seconds before she was able to confirm that feeling. With two ropes dispensing from the top of the cave, the auburn girl witnessed as two skilled professionals made their way into the cavern before two more followed behind. Immediately knowing who they were, Paige was able to relax as she saw Emily jump up from the noise in one fluid motion.

"Well I'm glad you two were able to have a good night's sleep" Skylar stated as she took in the surrounding area.

Rolling her eyes at the statement, Paige gave her a quick hug. "Well I'm glad you guys took your precious time to find us"

"Sorry, we were down one person up there and the rain kind of screwed up your transmission. You're lucky Dylan knew there was a cave over here" Dave quickly retorted.

"Whatever the case is, thank you" Paige replied with a smile before fist bumping Dave and giving Dylan a handshake. "Did you guys managed to catch of Caminiti's men?"

"Yes, two of them. And guess who one them is?" Aiden answered as she made his way toward the auburn girl to give her a quick hug. "The Beast. Glad to see that you're guys are safe. Are either of you injured?"

"Paige is" Emily said quickly before the auburn could deny it. "On her hip".

Heatedly staring back at the brunette for stating the truth, Paige looked back at Aiden before raising her shirt a little. "Emily stitched it up. I'm perfectly fine."

"Ok" Aiden responded before looking at the two girls. "We'll have a medic on the plane to take a look at that on our way"

"Sounds good" Paige agreed as she began gathering her belongings.

"Caminiti's men gave up a location about 4 hours south. Cumberland Gap" Aiden instructed. It's a Gap Cavern. Glad you had time to get use to this"

"But she's injured" Emily suddenly chimed in; earning her a look of futility from the girl's fellow team members.

Knowing how protective the brunette is of her friends, the commanding officer took a look at his fellow co-lead before walking closer to the bronze beauty. "We're going to take care of Paige while we're in the air. Right now we need our entire team to get as much clues as possible" Aiden calmly reassured Emily. "We're falling behind schedule a bit and need to cover as much ground as we can"

"Em" Paige quietly mumbled over to the brunette as she watched the rest of her team get back to work. "I'm going to be fine ok. I'll see when I get back". Watching as the brunette avoided all eye contact, Paige took in a deep breath before making her way toward the rest of her team. Wanting to make sure Emily was safe before leaving the girl's side, Paige turned to the eyes and ears of her team. "Dylan, how's Emily getting back to base?"

"There's going to be two helicopters picking us up. The first one is hers" Dylan stated as he zippered up his bag. "The second will be ours"

Nodding her head in agreement, it was only a matter of minutes before hearing a helicopter approach the cavern. Clearing her throat, Paige made her way back to the brunette who was still avoiding all communication with the brown eye beauty. "Em, this one is for you. It's going to take you back to base and to the girls. You'll be safe"

"And you?" Emily asked as she looked the girl in the eye. Realizing Paige wanted to respond _this is her job_ , Emily rolled her eyes before pushing herself off the crater and making her way toward the opening of the cave. As a rope fell from the helicopter, Paige watched as Skylar and Dylan helped fasten the brunette within its clutches before watching her get reeled in.

"She's safe" Aiden quietly stated as the two watched Emily get pulled in safely into the helicopter.

"I know" Paige quietly responded. "Let's just get this asshole already"

* * *

Emily allowed her anger to radiate through her as she made her way off the helicopter pad and into the arms of her friends. Instantly feeling relaxed, the sensation soon passed at the first question asked to her by a certain blonde.

"Where's Paige?" Hanna asked immediately as she looked back at the helicopter.

Nodding her head in infuriation, Emily made her way passed the girls and into the base before answering. "She's with the team completing the second mission"

"What? They're not even going to check her out to make sure she's okay and hydrated?" the blonde beauty asked in concern. "I mean you guys did just spend a night out in damp cave"

"Speaking of. How was that?" Spencer slyly asked as she gave Emily a little smirk.

"Don't even start" Emily coldly stated. "Where's Commander Collins?"

"Uh Emily, are you okay?" Spencer asked in concern noticing her friend's behavior.

Waving off her friend's concern, the brunette had no concern to answer. "I'm fine. Who's the person in charge over here?" Emily said with a bit more force before focusing on a tall built man behind wall to wall glass doors. Not caring she was about to violate all ethical codes within the facility, Emily silently opened the door to allow herself in as the other two girls followed. Quickly realizing the commander had the team on speaker for the rest of the office to hear and follow along, Emily sat down quietly as she listened in.

"How we looking Weaver?" Commander Collins sternly asked as he listened intently.

"So far it's absolutely quiet" the familiar voice belonging to the team lead responded back. "Pinto, is everything looking ok from above?"

"Secure from up here" the team's eyes voiced.

"O'Neil, where are we heading?" Aiden asked to get formulate a plan.

"The cavern is going to be visible in about 50 yards" Dave replied. "We might lose communication"

Emily felt her entire body tense at the statement. Feeling Spencer lock arms with her, she continued listening.

"McCullers, what do you think?" the lead officer asked is co-lead.

"It might be another trap" Paige responded truthfully. "We've tried twice already and Caminiti has been informed both times. If he knows we have his men, he knows we're coming"

"Do you have plan?" Aiden asked.

"Hensley, do we have any gear on us to help us see better in the cavern?" Paige asked the technician.

"Our googles. I installed night vision so we don't need to use light and give our spots as well as infrared vision to detect body heat" Skylar answered.

"O'Neil, when these caves were discovered they were forced to create another exit in case it collapsed from up front. Is there another entrance?" Paige asked.

"Yes, about 6 miles east" David replied.

"Ok, Weaver, Pinto, your with me to secure the main entrance. "O'Neil, Hensley, join us from the other end. We'll surround them" Paige instructed.

"Agree" Aiden acknowledged. "Be safe"

Emily thought waiting to talk to Paige after she first saw her in 8 years was agonizing; but listening to the girl involve herself in a dangerous mission was even worse. Not being able to help her or see her was tearing Emily apart. Even after all this time, the brunette had a need to protect her. Listening cautiously to every breath and rustle the team made, the group sat silently waiting for any indication of danger. They didn't have to wait long.

In a matter of minutes a round of gun fire went off bringing everyone in the office to their feet.

"I got 6 on my far right" Aiden shouted out on his microphone.

"I see 12 on the left" Dylan scream out.

"8 are blocking us in" Paige yelled out.

With the sound of all the gun fire arising from all the speakers, the girls began crying in fear as they tried covering their ears and huddling together.

"Who let those girls in here?" Commander Collins screamed out. "Take them back to the safe house"

Forcefully trying to get out of the grips of one of the officers, Emily tried her best to stay behind and listen until she knew Paige was safe; feeling the tears run down her cheeks, the brunette failed.

* * *

 *****9 Years Ago*****

Tightening her jaw as she held the large wooden doors that led to the high school swimming pool, Paige closed her eyes for a second before taking a deep breath. Slightly nodding her head, the auburn girl didn't know why it was suddenly so unnerving every time she set her eyes on the brunette. She's seen Emily countless of times during swim practice as well as in her backyard when it was just the two of them. But ever since she came to terms with the fact that she was truly falling for the bronze beauty, Paige couldn't help but blush whenever she saw Emily. Every time the girl smiled at her or even looked in her direction, Paige found herself doing a head dip before interacting with the girl.

Now standing before the school's swimming pool doors, the sudden feeling of complete dread and nervousness dawned upon the girl. _What if I can't stop staring at her legs? Or her perfectly round ass? Or her sculpted abs? Ugh, forget about her body, what about her face? Or that hair?_ Nodding her head to remove all the hasty doubts she was feeling, Paige opened the door and walked as confidentially as she could toward the bleachers; but had her eyes glued on the water.

Immediately finding the gorgeous brunette out in lane 8 just as she finished her last turn, Paige scrunched her eyebrows as she noticed the girl's technique seemed a bit off. Taking a seat toward the mid-section, the auburn girl continued looking on as the brunette pulled herself out of the water. Feeling as though her mouth was about to go dry by just thinking of the girl wet, Paige was brought back to reality as she saw Coach Fulton make her way toward the star swimmer.

By the looks of both women's posture, the conversation didn't look good. Emily looked angry; really angry. Watching as the brunette tried squeezing her hair to get as much water as she could; the beauty seemed to disregard everything that was being told to her by the coach as she kept an irritated expression on.

Knowing full well Coach Fulton wasn't the type of person who would put up with anyone's punitive behavior; including her own star swimmer, Paige gathered her items and headed toward the locker room aware Emily was about to be dismissed.

Just as she suspected, as soon as Paige opened the girl's locker room door; the auburn girl heard a locker being slammed shut as she witness the beauty throwing her duffle bag to the far end of the room. Taken aback by the girl's recent outburst, Paige stepped forward to make herself known. "Hey. What the hell is going on?"

Snapping her head in the direction of the recognizable voice, Emily licked her bottom lip as she sat down to rub lotion on soles of her feet. "Nothing" she simply mumbled.

Refusing to allow the brunette to push her away, Paige walked closer. "Emily, look at me. What the hell is going on?"

"Didn't I just say nothing?" Emily quickly retorted.

"Well your tears tell me a different story" Paige replied calmly; not wanting to get the brunette more frustrated then she was already. Watching as Emily tried to wipe them away, Paige tried to coax her again. "Hey, look at me. It's me. What's going on?" she pleaded as she took a seat near the desolate brunette.

Paige didn't care if she had to wait there for 10 minutes or 10 hours; she wasn't going to leave Emily sitting there by herself in such a state. Looking away to give the brunette some breathing room, Paige shifted her way toward the floor as she leaned against the lockers for support. She only had to wait about 5 minutes before she finally heard Emily speak up. "My mom received a called this morning that my dad's team lost contact just as they were about to open fire on their target"

"Em-" was the only thing the auburn girl was able to say before she heard the beauty continue.

"He's been missing for 14 hours and counting. I can't think. I can't feel. All I keep repeating in my mind is the way my mom looked when she received that call. I mean I should be use to this right? Getting that call? It's happened at least 6 times already. But what if it this was it? What if this was the call?" Emily asked in adrift.

"You can't think like that" Paige quietly answered as she moved in closer toward the agonized swimmer.

"What else can I do?" Emily questioned again as she looked at her friend. "What else can I do to shake this feeling?"

Looking away for a few seconds, Paige immediately thought of an idea. "Can you cut your last two classes today?"

"I plan to" Emily admitted as she stood up to take out her clothes from the locker. "I just want to go home"

"I have something I want to show you" the auburn girl proposed as she gave the brunette a side smile.

"I honestly don't think I'm in mood to do anything today Paige" Emily truthfully answered as she continued searching through her locker.

Paige refused to be rejected by the girl. Standing up, she continued. "You don't have to do anything. I just want to show it to you. I can take you home right after"

Turning around to face the auburn girl who always seemed to know how to make her feel better, Emily let out a quiet sigh before responding. "Are there going to be other people around?"

"Nope. Just you and me" Paige contentedly answered with a smile.

"Fine" the brunette finally agreed as couldn't help but smile back. Closing her locker, she continued. "Just give me a few minutes to change"

* * *

Brushing aside a few tree branches that were hanging low from the nearby trees, Emily was beginning to feel a bit uneasy of not knowing what Paige had in mind. Only following the auburn girl, Emily never questioned her. However, with the amount of fog surrounding them along with the fact that they were hiking for the past few minutes, the brunette felt restless. "No offense Paige, but this looks like a scene straight out of a horror movie" the brunette stated as she continued walking right behind the brown eye intellect.

Laughing a little out loud, Paige could only imagine how this looked to Emily. Parking a few minutes away from their destination, the auburn girl was crossing her fingers they would make it the location in time; before any sounds gave off their location. "Just trust me ok. My dad and I randomly stumbled on this place when I was younger during this same ambiance"

"Right" Emily coolly stated. "You and your dad normally take isolated strolls in the fog together?" she continued with a bit of mockery in her voice.

"Funny" Paige replied as she rolled her eyes a bit. "We were actually going to check out that lake in the Heinz National Wildlife center but got a bit distracted"

Taken aback by the last statement, Emily was a bit nervous of what was able to sidetrack two people out here. "Distracted by what exactly?"

Finally reaching their destination, Paige placed her unzipped hoodie on the grass before taking a seat. "Lay down and you'll see"

Completely frightened at this point, Emily truly believed her friend had lost her mind. "Paige"

"Do you trust me?" Paige simply asked to assure the girl she was safe.

"Of course I do" Emily replied without hesitancy.

"So lay down with me" Paige stated again before laying down herself.

Still unsure of what they were doing, Emily brushed her hair back with her right hand. "Paige"

"Please" the auburn comprised as she looked up to the nervous brunette.

Finally winning the girl over, Emily potently laid down by her friend as she began looking all around her. Feeling how nervous the brunette was, Paige gently grabbed the girl's hand before looking over. "Relax" she said with a smile.

The pair only had to wait a few more seconds before a faint sound could be heard in a distance. Rapidly getting louder every second, Emily could feel her heart pounding not knowing what it was. Beginning to squirm where she was laying, she felt Paige increase her grip; forcing her to stay still. "What is that?"

"Wait for it" Paige calmly replied.

Listening intently, Emily's eyes widen as she heard an engine; it was a plane's engine. It was a plane that was coming towards them extremely fast and extremely close. Panicking even more, Emily tried to get up; but was only held back down by the auburn girl laying calmly next to her. "Paige, where the hell are we?"

Smiling again to herself, Paige turned to face the girl for a second before looking back up. "Wait for it"

Given the fact that fog was so extreme, the girls couldn't even see 20 feet in front them. It wasn't until the last few seconds where they were able to see the large 737 fly less than 100 feet above them right before it managed to land on the Philadelphia International Airport runway right behind them.

"Paige!" Was only Emily was able to scream out before jumping up at the shock and thrill of feeling an 130 feet piece of technology fly over them by merely feet. "Oh my god! Oh my god! Oh my god!"

"You okay?" Paige asked with a big smile plastered on her face.

"Oh my god!" Emily screamed out again before combing her hair back with both of her hands before leaving it there. "What the hell?" she stated as looked behind her; watching the aircraft roll away.

Feeling relieved Emily didn't seem angry or scared anymore, Paige needed to know what exactly she was feeling. "Are you okay?"

"That was insane!" the brunette finally blurted out. "Oh my god"

"Told you to trust me" Paige slyly stated before sitting back down.

"That was amazing" Emily repeated a bit more calm before sitting down near the auburn girl.

Watching as the brunette was still out breath as she laid down, Paige was happy she was able to help. "We all have fears that we're worried about Em. Sometimes we're completely frozen by them. We just need another feeling to be a bit more overwhelming to push that fear aside so we could see the bigger picture just for a second"

Arching an eyebrow at the statement, Emily realized what Paige just did in order to push aside her worry; even if it was just for a small second. "So basically we all need that one thing that that's even scarier for us to realize what we're scared about in the first place isn't that terrifying"

"Or you just need to look to Batman for a second" Paige oddly replied before pulling out a small crochet batman doll and handing it over to Emily.

"Who is this little guy?" Emily responded with a smile.

"It's Batman" Paige simply started. "I've had him since I was kid. He stands for justice, like your dad. He is the hero we all need, but sometimes we're too scared to really want". Looking over to hold the brunette's gaze, Paige continued. "Your dad is fine. You just need to believe that okay?" Watching as Emily nodded in agreement, she watched as the brunette was about to hand it over. "Keep it. He's yours now"

Feeling as though the auburn girl lying next to her gave her another perspective of life, Emily didn't know how to thank her besides actually saying it. "Thank you" she breathlessly stated.

"Of course" Paige replied. "Ready for the next plane?" the auburn asked as they began hearing another engine from afar.

* * *

 *****Present Day*****

The anticipation was slowly destroying Emily. She knew Paige was safe and coming back any minute; but a part of her was still worried. What if Paige was hurt? What if she got hurt coming home? What if someone was following her? The auburn girl was just doing her job. A job Emily was still getting used to. Police officers risked their lives every minute of every day for perfect strangers. However Emily knew Paige wasn't a cop. She knew the doe eye beauty was a Special Ops Officer. She knew Paige didn't just have a gun and patrolled the streets; the girl looked for danger. She'd jump out of a flying airplane without a second thought. She'd run into a field of flying bullets without even seeing her target. The girl even jumped off of a cliff without even knowing if she'd even land. The Paige McCullers she met just a few weeks ago was a far cry from the Paige McCullers she knew in Rosewood. Even though Paige was seemingly different, every time Emily found herself alone with the auburn girl, there was always a moment where a glimmer of the old Paige McCullers was still there.

Gripping onto the small crochet batman doll a little tighter, the brunette was using the last of her strength to keep her composure as she looked out the large double hung windows in the kitchen. Maintaining her charade of folding her laundry, Emily swore she felt a tear fall from her eyes as she saw the black Lincoln MKX SUV turn the corner as it entered the backyard. Closing her eyes in a sense of relief, Emily grabbed the rest of her freshly warm laundry and headed upstairs to her bedroom. The last thing Emily wanted was for Paige to see any sign of turmoil she was feeling. Paige needed a strong woman in her life. Not someone who silently went crazy every the other went to work. This was Paige's life now; danger was standard.

Once she got up the stairs, Emily waited in the corner for the kitchen door to open before she entered her bedroom. Counting on the face that the group was in the living room watching Zoolander, Emily knew she had at least a good 20 minutes to gain her composure before having to face the auburn; or so she hoped.

The second Paige walked into the kitchen; she couldn't help but feel relieved to be back with her friends. With the mission being a success, the auburn girl knew that was just the cherry on top. The team not only managed to find and raid one of Caminiti's warehouses, but they were able to gather enough evidence to find out where all the weapons they were producing were initially manufactured. Along with the evidence, the team also managed to bring in four of Caminiti's men. If the interrogation officers were truly as good as their reputation led people to believe, Paige was confident they would be able to find out their next major lead. However at this moment, all Paige wanted to do was see a certain brunette.

Following the sound of the television, the auburn girl made her way into the living room as she found her old friends scattered all around laughing uncontrollably at the walk-off scene between Derek and Hansel in Zoolander. Biting her bottom lip to hide her eagerness, the brown eye beauty quickly scanned the room and felt her chest drop at the realization Emily wasn't there. Quickly glancing over to the restroom, Paige saw the door was opened indicating the brunette wasn't there either. Pressing her middle finger into her thumb to hide her anxiety, Paige finally decided to speak up. "Enjoying the movie guys?"

Startling the group, Hanna was the first to jump up from the couch as she gave the auburn girl a tight hug. "You're back! We were so worried about you guys. When Commander Collins told us they lost communication with you guys during a shootout we were all terrified"

The sudden notion dawned on Paige; that's why Emily wasn't here. Quickly reciprocating the hug, Paige watched as Dylan entered the restroom. Using that as her excuse, Paige leaned back away from the hug. "We know how to handle ourselves. No need to worry about us" Paige responded with a smile. "Look, it's been a long road trip. Do you mind if I use your restroom upstairs? I saw Dylan go into one over here"

"Of course. It's the first room on your right" Hanna replied as she joined the rest of the team who was already part of another conversation.

Quietly making her way upstairs, Paige wasn't sure which bedroom Emily was staying in. Taking a quick look to her left then right as she got to the top stair, the auburn noted all the doors were opened except one which was slightly closed. Using that as her only hunch to go off, the brown eye beauty made her way to the bedroom.

Peeking inside, Paige couldn't control the smile that crawled across her lips as she watched as Emily folding then refolding one of her olive towels in frustration. Finally working up the nerve to knock on the door, Paige watched as Emily froze in place.

"Doing laundry on a Wednesday evening; that's a bit domestic of you" the brown eye beauty started as a way to break through the silence.

Clenching her jaw, Emily blinked a little to gain her composure before speaking up. "Well I rather be domestic then immature"

"Immature? Are you accusing me of being a juvenile?" Paige asked with a slightly amused tone.

"Well I'm not the one pretending to be Laura Croft and have a fucking gun battle with 50 guys just as I lose communication with the people I care about" Emily infuriatedly stated.

Slightly smirking to herself, Paige folded her arms as she leaned against the doorway. "Em-"

"Did you find anything?" Emily interrupted as she began folding her sheets aggressively.

"We may have a lead for our next assignment" Paige truthfully stated.

"Right. Your next mission" the brunette stubbornly stated.

Watching as Emily was finding it hard to understand her job, Paige looked behind her to make sure no one was coming up the stairs before closing the door quietly and making her way toward the feisty brunette. Placing her hand on top of Emily's to stop the girl from tearing apart her sheets, Paige found herself merely inches away from the brunette's cheeks as she kept herself slightly behind the shorter girl. Without removing her hand from the bronze beauty, Paige spoke up. "This is my job Em". Watching as Emily closed her eyes, she continued. "I am going to do anything I can to find Aria. I need you to trust me"

"Of course I trust you" Emily blurted out as she turned to face the auburn girl. "But I don't know what I'd do if something happened to you while you were looking for her"

Diverting her eyes to the nightstand to avoid the slight guilt that crawled over the auburn for knowing how hard it was for the brunette to understand, Paige found herself staring right at the old crochet batman doll she once gave Emily. "You kept that?"

Following the auburn girl's eyes to her nightstand, Emily let out a slight sigh as she realized she accidentally gave up one of her secrets. "Of course I kept it" she whispered.

Walking over to pick it up the old sentimental figure, Paige brought it back toward the brunette. "I honestly never thought I'd see this again"

"Why? You thought I'd lose it or something?" Emily sneered back as she grabbed the old doll from Paige before sitting down on her bed.

"No. I thought it would have been in a box under your bed _or something_ " Paige truthfully replied as she took a seat next to the brunette.

"That day you took me by the airport to feel that thrill as a plane flew so close over you, was probably one of those days I will never forget" Emily admitted as she glanced over at Paige. "You showed me how to embrace that sudden anxiety that could come over you in a matter of seconds and learn to take a step back to see the bigger picture. It was the same day you gave me him" the brunette continued as she lightly grazed the batman doll with her fingers. "You told me batman stands for justice. That he is the hero we all need, but sometimes we're too scared to really want that. And that we all have a bit of batman in us. Honestly, sometimes I do forget that. But when I hold this, it reminds me of that feeling of not knowing when I plane was about to fly over me and that I had to take a step back to figure out why I'm so scared. So I keep this little guy with me whenever I know I'm going to need help"

Taken aback by the sudden confession the brunette shared, Paige was completely engulfed with warmth as she realized the significance of what a simple outing or a simple doll could do for the brunette. Feeling her throat constrict, Paige swallowed before find the right words to say. "I need you to hold on to that. Yes, my job is risky. But if you take a step back you'll see the bigger picture. Aria was taken by a cartel. I'm positive there are so many other girls taken as well. I've trained to take down those guys to save them. We need people in this world to fight those bad guys. I'm happy to do it"

"I know" Emily tearfully admitted. "And I am so proud of you. You are truly amazing in every aspect. I am trying to adjust to your job. I just need some time"

Nodding at her understanding, Paige wrapped her right arm around the brunette before instinctively giving her a quick kiss on her forehead. "I know. And I promise I'll try to make it as easy as possible for you. Now how about we join the group downstairs to watch the rest of that movie?"

"Sounds good to me" Emily replied as she wiped a tear that fell from her eyes. "Thank you, for everything" the brunette whispered open heartedly.

"You don't ever have to thank me for that" the auburn girl replied as she gave one last look to the brunette before leaving the room.


	10. Chapter 10

**Guest1/siophiefandom/pailyshark/EmGarretson22/naiel2017/messymoo/Llovesarah/McCullers7 –** Thank you for the reviews! We're slowly making our way to the moment we're all waiting for!

 **DarkBlueMint** – I never been rock climbing, so thank you for that input!

 **Shay** – I honestly didn't even realize I was doing that. And now I'm annoyed by it. Thank you so much for letting me know!

 **Thecatfromaliceinwonderland** –You're too funny. Given their history, I think Paige knows how to handle Emily's mood swings especially since she's the calm the one in the relationship. Of course I integrated Batman! I needed too. Thanks as always for the review!

 **A/N** : For everyone that celebrated Thanksgiving, hope everyone had a great day yesterday! I know I'm still tearing a bit every time I need to move. Also just a heads up, we're about halfway done with the story. I've written 21 chapters in total!

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Pretty Little Liars or any of its characters**

It was 2:17am Paige had noted on her Sony alarm clock near her dark Marbella night stand. Closing her eyes in frustrated, the auburn girl vehemently uncovered herself from her bed sheet as she made her way toward the front door. Quickly opening the door as another hard knock resonated throughout the room; Paige combed back her hair with her left hand as she steeled herself for whoever was waking her up so early.

"What" she exclaimed before even taking notice of who was standing before her.

"We have a problem" Aiden firmly stated as he looked Paige straight in the eye. "Get ready. Meeting in Dylan's room in 5"

Before Paige was able to say another word, the team lead already made his way over to the next room to knock on Skylar's door. Closing her own room door to swiftly put on some clean clothes, the auburn girl knew something was wrong given the look in Aiden's eyes. Paige knew that look well; either someone was injured or they found out where Aria was which wasn't going to end well. Feeling her heart race at either of the indications affecting her old friend, Paige swallowed to try to calm her nerves. She didn't know what she would tell the girls if something happened to Aria. She made a promise. How could her promise be broken in mere hours?

Taking in a deep breath, Paige shook out all the thoughts that crossed her mind as she hurriedly made her way to Dylan's room. She had to keep her mind clear of any thoughts besides the task at hand. This was her job. She had to find out what their next objective was going to be. Opening the unlocked door, Paige saw Aiden and Dylan hunched over his laptop sitting on the desk. From afar Paige couldn't make out who what they were looking at; but as a familiar voice suddenly echoed through the air, Paige knew exactly who it was.

"Officer McCullers" Commander Mahoney firmly stated.

"Commander Mahoney" Paige greeted with a hint of confusion in her voice. "Good to see you again sir" she continued as she made her way closer to Dylan's laptop to properly see her commanding officer.

"I wish I could say the same" the built officer retorted.

"Sir?" Paige asked before hearing the door behind her open once again as Skylar and David made their way in.

"Great, the team is all here" another familiar soon vibrated through the room as it forced Paige to snap her head back at the laptop.

"Commander Collins" Skylar greeted.

Dipping his head a little, the commanding officer acknowledged the hazel eyed officer's greeting before finally stating the reason for the late night conference. "Apologies for having to wake you up so early; especially after yesterday's events. I know you could use the rest. Unfortunately we received dire news about an hour ago that deals with the case"

"Aria" Paige mumbled in fear; loud enough for the commanding officers to hear.

"Ms. Montgomery is still missing. However, an additional victim is now missing" Commander Mahoney replied.

Feeling her heart beat faster at the thought of one of the girls be taken, Paige straightened her back abruptly ready to run out of the room; but stopped as she heard Commander Collins.

"Commander Fields was taken at 01:23 today as he was leaving the office" the robust officer bluntly stated.

Frozen in complete disbelief, Paige had to sit down at the edge of the closest bed to try to grasp the idea of the brunette's father now being taken as well.

"Sir?" Aiden asked perplexed at what he just heard.

Immediately changing the conference on the laptop screen to a video of Commander Field's office parking lot, the commanding officer continued. "Caminiti himself was the one doing the kidnapping; he was trying to send a message. Fortunately, it doesn't look like he has harmed Commander Fields while in the process of taking him. But the last image is what frightened us. While he holds Commander Field's from behind, he turns their body toward the camera as he smiles before throwing the commander in the van. He knew we would be watching the video"

Feeling her chest drop at the sight of the kidnapping, Paige felt as though it was the first time she ever seen a kidnapping. She didn't know what to think. She didn't know what to do. She just sat there in complete and utter turmoil.

"Our team over here is currently working on finding any leads or evidence of where they might have taken Commander Fields, however given we have no luck in finding Ms. Montgomery I doubt we'll find anything" Commander Collins explained.

"Where do you want us sir?" Aiden asked as the screen switched back to the two commanding officers.

"With the girls" Commander Mahoney instructed. "Commander Fields' daughter is with you. Protect those girls with your life. We're not sure how everything is connected, but we will. In the meantime, Ms. McCullers?" Commander Collins asked as the team parted for the auburn girl to make her way over to the laptop. "Commander Fields had left you a video"

Lightly scrunching her brows at the statement, Paige nodded her head so the officers could play the video. Watching as the familiar commander popped up on the screen, the auburn parted her lips at the sudden rush of emotions that flowed through her. Mr. Fields was like another father to her in high school. Taking in the older appearance of her past, Paige's eyes began to fill with tears.

"Hello team. Hope you all are doing well. If you're seeing this video, that mean's either I've been taken or killed. I'm not positive what you know or heard, but I'm sure you know by now I was the one who asked for you to be assigned to this case. More specifically, I'm sure Paige, you know it was you for why I choose this team. Paige, I need you to take in a deep breath because I need you…and the girls need you. I don't know what happened back in high school. I'm not sure why you just left. But the moment I found out that you were not only a special ops officer, but one of the best ones out there, I've made sure to keep an eye on you. I was there at your graduation from the academy cheering you on when I knew your father couldn't make it. And I'll always be there. You have grown into one of the most exceptional women I have ever met. And I need you to use your skill and your intelligence to close this case. I don't know why Caminiti kidnapped Aria and I'm pretty sure my disappearance has to deal with him too. Find us. I love you. And tell Emily not to worry and that I love her. Watch over her for me Paige. Good luck to you all"

With that, Paige's father figure disappeared from the screen as the two commanding officers reappeared. Paige couldn't stop the tears streaming down her face. Wiping them away furiously, she was scared; but angry as well. "We'll tell girls" the auburn girl firmly stated as stood up. This was why she became a special ops officer. For moments like these.

"Thank you. Good luck. We'll call you at 7am with any further details" Commander Collins stated as the two commanding officers closed out of their conference.

"Are you okay Paige?" Dylan asked as he tried to place a comforting arm around the auburn girl.

Shrugging it off, that was the last thing Paige needed. "I'm fine. We need to tell the girls" the auburn replied as she made her way out of the room.

Paige was determined to get to Emily as fast as possible. She needed to protect her. She needed to hold her. The brunette's best friend was taken and now her own father was taken and Paige didn't know why. She didn't even have the slightest clue. Tightening her jaw as she made her way toward the driver's seat of the SUV, Paige was trying to organize all the thoughts racing through her mind. After she told Emily about her father, then what? They had nothing to go off of. She couldn't hop on a plane or in a car and go somewhere. She didn't have a mission. Her mission tonight was just to stay by Emily's side.

Firmly increasing her grip on the car wheel, Paige impatiently honked her horn for her team to hurry up. Watching as her four other counterparts raced outside and into the SUV within a matter of seconds, the auburn girl knew they were all worried about her. Whenever one of the members experienced any type of sorrow, the rest of her team was right behind them; ready to defend them against anyone or anything.

Silently pulling out of the driveway, Paige made her way in record time toward the small house the girls were staying in. Given the girls were under protection, the team gave a quick nod over to the police men staying outside the girl's place before knocking on the door. After a few seconds of not hearing anything, Paige knocked more forcefully before Spencer angrily opened the door in her tank top and shorts.

"Yes?" the slim brunette harshly asked. Observing as Paige's eyes were filled with grief, Spencer knew something happened.

Walking to the side of the door to let the team in, Paige felt her throat suddenly constrict at the sight Emily making her way down the stairs and toward her in a plain grey t-shirt and anchor pajama pants. The instant they held eye contact, Paige couldn't talk. She didn't even know where to begin.

"You guys should take a seat" the auburn girl heard from behind her; thankful she had her team there.

"We're good standing. What happened?" Spencer firmly asked.

"Maybe you should take a seat" Aiden repeated quietly.

"She said we're good" Hanna stated. "So how about you tell us why you guys look so shocked?"

Still holding onto Emily's gaze, Paige knew she was the one who had to tell the brunette about her father. Thinking to herself of the best way to break the news, she soon heard Spencer once again.

"Is it Aria? Did something happen to Aria?" the aggressive brunette asked as her eyes widened at the thought.

"No. We haven't found out any additional news about Ms. Montgomery" Skylar soon stated.

"So what is it?" Hanna asked again.

"It's your father" Paige soon blurted as she watched Emily's eyes widen in fear. "He was taken this morning by Caminiti"

All eyes turned to Emily in that moment. Rushing over as she thought Emily was about to fall right there, Spencer and Hanna managed to run to her side first; giving her the extra support to sit.

"What happened?" Spencer quickly asked as looked at Paige.

Paige couldn't keep her eyes off of Emily even though the brunette was still grasping the idea of her father now missing. "We're not positive. We only saw Caminiti himself take your father right out of the parking lot of his office building"

"But why" Emily mumbled out in a whisper.

Kneeling to catch the girl's gaze, Paige looked up toward the brunette's eyes full tears as she answered. "We're not sure. We're still trying to piece together the connection of everything"

"So you guys have nothing once again?" Spencer angrily spouted. "What would you like us to do now? Just sit here as our family members are taken one by one?"

"Spence-" Paige tried to say calmly before watching the slim brunette furiously get up again as a way to control herself.

"No Paige! You told us to trust you. That you will find Aria and you still haven't. And know a commander that's Emily's father is missing?" Spencer yelled out.

"Ms. Hastings, we will find Ms. Montgomery and Commander Fields" Aiden soon interrupted.

"How? How will you find them?" Hanna asked.

"We currently have a team looking at the scene as we speak. Commander Collins will call us in the morning with the next lead" Aiden explained.

Forcing herself off the bed, Emily licked her lips as she tried to gain some composure back. "I…I need to use the bathroom" she stuttered out.

Miserably watching as Emily slowly made her way toward the bathroom by the living room, Paige stood as she looked toward the other girls. "Look, with someone as important as Mr. Fields being taken, we know this is way more serious than just a kidnapping. It confirmed Aria being taken was in fact intentional"

"So what do you want us to do?" Spencer pleaded.

"We haven't even been told what to do" Paige admitted as she combed back her hair in frustration. "But right now, we need to be there for Emily. She's the one who needs us right now" the auburn stated as she pointed toward the bathroom door.

"Fine, but we need to help" Spencer firmly stated.

"Absolutely not" Aiden strictly retorted. "We have enough people on this case. We can't afford to look for you guys as well if something goes wrong"

"But we can't just sit back on do nothing!" Hanna screamed out.

"Uh guys" David soon interrupted the conversation as his tone forced everyone to look in his direction. "Emily is taking a bit long isn't she?"

Feeling her chest dip at the question, Paige sped toward the bathroom door as she began knocking viciously. "Emily?" Placing her ear against the door to hear any movement, the auburn girl nervously knocked again. "Emily! Open the door". When there was still no answer, Paige didn't hesitate to force the door open herself as she steeled herself for impact once her left should made contact with the thick wood.

As the team rushed into the bathroom one by one, Paige instantly took notice of the window by the bathtub pushed opened. "No" was all she was able to whisper out before grabbing her phone and running out of the bathroom. "She's going to try to find her dad" the auburn girl screamed as out as she made connection on her line. "This is Officer McCuller's. ID 2. 8. 3. 6. 8. Require squad cars for missing subject over at Colonial Drive. Name, Emily Fields. Age 26. Height 5'8". Of Spanish Heritage. Find immediately" Paige ordered into her cell.

Making her way toward the car, the auburn girl turned around knowing the team needed a plan. "Dylan, stay with the girls in the house. Skylar and Dave, take the perimeter. Aiden you're with me. She might be headed for the bus terminal to get her father's office"

"What makes you think that?" Aiden asked as he made his way to the passenger side of the car.

Starting the car, Paige put the SUV in drive before responding. "Because she's one of the most determined but stubborn people I've ever met"

* * *

 *****9 Years Ago*****

The feeling of dread immediately engulfed Paige as opened the front door; watching in horror as the wavy hair brunette leaned over the front porch vinyl railing. It was obvious Emily was in extreme pain given she was holding onto her right side, but that didn't stop the girl from ignoring any sign of pain the second she heard the front door swing open.

"Hey there" she greeted cheerfully out of breath.

Paige didn't allow another second to pass before she lunged toward the girl to help her; oblivious to what was going on. "Oh my god, Em, are you okay?" she exclaimed as she held on the brunette's waist to help her up the stairs. Quickly skimming her eyes thoroughly over Emily to see if she saw any bruising or indication that the girl was hurt, she was relieved to see nothing evident. "Did something happen?"

"No, no no no" Emily replied a smile as she tried heaving away the auburn's arms from around her. Taking a seat on the top stair, she still had to keep her hand on her side to help reduce the amount of pain she was feeling in her side. "Why would you say that?"

"Uh, I don't know" Paige replied pretentiously. "You're standing here. Sweaty. Alone. On Sam's front door steps at 8 in the morning" she pointed out. Realizing her own words, the auburn girl turned around to double check the drive way. "Where's your car?"

"I'm sweaty?" Emily asked breathlessly as she ignored everything else the meticulous girl indicated.

Arching an eyebrow at the brunette, Paige gave the girl a glare as she noticed how Emily was trying to disregard everything she just stated. "I could see my reflection in your forehead. Em, what happened?"

"It's nothing. It's just that" the tanned beauty began hesitantly realizing she might have been just a tad foolish for doing what she did. "It's International Friendship Day and I figured I could join you…and Sam at Hersey Park. Where is Sam by the way?" Emily asked as she turned to the front door of the dirty blonde girl's house.

Samantha Denley was Paige's childhood best friend since they were elementary school. Ever since Paige moved back to Rosewood, they would try to meet up once a month just to catch up and hangout to maintain their relationship. Emily met Sam a few times prior when she visited Paige in Rosewood. Immediately taking notice of how graceful puberty seemed to affect the old friend, Emily also took notice of how easy the two old friends were able to connect once they saw each other. That feeling of her stomach churning always came in full forced whenever Sam came to visit. Sam was an amazing friend. She always put Paige's needs before anything and always had best ideas. Just like today since it was Paige's turn to visit her.

"What?" Paige asked frustrated before combing back her hair to calm herself. Squatting down a bit to be at eye level, she continued. "Em, of course you could join us. I mean you could have just asked me on Friday when I driving over here. We could have carpooled. Where is your car?" she repeated.

Looking at her hands, Emily finally admitted the truth. "It broke down, on route 322"

Abruptly standing up at the admission, Paige's eyes widen in disbelief. "What?" she exclaimed. "Did the tow guy drop you off? What time do we have to pick up your car? Are you ok?"

That was just the tip of the iceberg; Emily had quit a busy morning. Refusing to look up at the girl in front of her, she continued. "Well…my dad and Caleb are actually driving over to pick it up" she mumbled. "I told them where it broke down"

Tilting her head forward as Emily seemed to consistently surprise her this morning, Paige calmly responded. "Uh, what?" Standing up to take in a deep breath, the auburn girl pushed her glasses up her nose before replying. "I'm just really confused. You just left your car on the side of the road and hitched hiked here?" When Emily remained quiet, Paige forced herself to walk away before she screamed at the girl, but she couldn't. "Are you crazy? Do you know who could be out there at this time? Why didn't you just call me?"

"No, no no. I didn't hitch hike up here" Emily admitted as she looked up at the fuming girl. "I ran"

"You ran" Paige calmly repeated as she nodded herself in understanding.

"Yeah it wasn't so bad" Emily tried to cheerfully explain to break up the tension.

"You ran from route 322?" Paige repeated calmly again as she pieced everything together.

"Yeah it was about 13 miles" the brunette stated nonchalantly. "I could do that on the treadmill"

Nodding her head at how imprudent the girl sounded, Paige was in a ball of rage. She wanted to literally shake Emily at how naïve she sounded but at the same time was happy to see the girl was safe and with her. "I'm calling your mom" the auburn girl stated as she made her way passed the brunette; feeling the girls hands on her ankles to stop her from moving.

"What? Paige" Emily responded before realizing Paige was in fact serious. "Paige, stop!"

"I think you've gone a bit crazy Em" the attentive girl stated as she turned around to look at the brunette once again. "You ran 13 miles and left your car on the side of the highway because you wanted to go to Hershey Park?" Paige stated rhetorically.

"With you!" Emily blurted out.

"Why didn't you just call me?" Paige begged. "Do you know what could have happened to you out there? What if some guy just shoved you in his car?"

Standing up to stare at the heated girl, Emily determinedly replied. "I wanted to surprise you! What's the big deal?"

"Em, you ran 13 miles at the crack of dawn" Paige restated. "Are you serious right now?"

Taking in a deep breath to relax herself, Emily took a step back to calm herself. "You know what, forget it. Have fun with your best friend" she dejectedly stated before making her way down the porch stairs.

"What?" Paige asked confused. Realizing Emily was trying to walk, Paige immediately walked in front of her to block her exit. "Em. You're not leaving"

"Watch me" the heated brunette stubbornly stated as she walked passed Paige.

"Hey, stop!" Paige pleaded as she held the girl's arm to try to stop her.

"Leave me alone" Emily angrily uttered as she shoved Paige's hand away from her.

Swallowing at how distraught the girl was being; Paige felt her heart drop. "Hey, stop. What's going on with you? Hey, look at me" Paige ordered as she watched Emily do the opposite. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing" Emily stated again as she continued limping out of the front yard.

"Em, I'm not letting you leave here" Paige calmly stated as she held onto Emily's arm once again. "So either you tell me or you tell Sam"

Letting out a light laugh, Emily reiterated her. "Sam"

Confused, Paige scrunched her eyebrows at the brunette's tone. "Do you have an issue with Sam?"

"Sensitive Sam?" Emily asked before pushing herself away from the girl's grip. "Oh please"

"Em" Paige pleaded again.

"I wanted to spend the day with you because you're my best friend" Emily suddenly blurted out as she turned around to hold Paige's gaze. " _My_ best friend. Ok? Then you tell me that you're going to Hersey Park with some random friend because she asked?"

Taken aback at how hurt Emily sounded, Paige didn't realize how upsetting the situation was for her. "How come you didn't tell me you had an issue with it before? I would have cancelled"

"No, I don't want you to cancel. I just thought maybe" Emily began before stopping to think of the right way to explicate her feelings.

"Maybe?" Paige asked to coaxed the girl.

"That I didn't need to ask to reserve today" Emily finally mumbled.

Parting her lips as the words left Emily's mouth, Paige froze in her steps at the sudden admission. Of course she would have spent the day with Emily; she would have canceled her plans in a heartbeat. But thinking to herself Emily didn't feel the same way she did, she needed to give the girl space to spend time with her other friends. Wanting nothing more than to hug the distressed brunette, the sudden sound of a familiar voice broke both girls out of their daze.

"Hey Emily!" Paige heard from behind her. "Is everything okay out here?" the vivacious girl asked as she watched the two girls silently stare back at her.

Clearing her throat to fill the sudden tension that aroused, Paige spoke up first. "Hey, can I talk to you for a second?"

"Of course" Sam replied confused.

As the pair walked over to the further end of the porch out of earshot, Emily watched in confusion as she witnessed Sam give Paige a robust hug before giving her a soft wave and walking back in her house. Feeling a sense of nervousness surge through her, Emily swallowed to steel herself for Paige's presence. "What was that about?"

"That was me getting her ticket for you" Paige answered as she showed Emily the Hershey Park ticket. "How about you and I spend the day at Hershey Park without _sensitive_ Sam?"

"That's kinda mean to cancel on her you know" Emily replied trying to sound subtle to what just happened.

"Yeah, but she understands" Paige nodded in agreement before glancing back at the large white house. "She didn't realize it was Friendship Day either" she stated before seeing how happy Emily became when she held the ticket. "Is that a smile?"

Rolling her eyes, Emily turned around to make her way out of the front yard. "Where did you park?"

"No no no. You are going to shower missy" Paige instructed as she held Emily's arm once again. "You stink"

"Hey!" Emily pouted before pushing the auburn girl away.

"Really? You're not sweating roses after 13 miles" Paige stated earning another eye roll from Emily.

Turning around to make her way inside the house, Emily did agree she wasn't in the finest condition. "Fine, fine fine"

"Bathroom is upstairs on your right" Paige screamed with a smile as she watched the brunette slowly make her way in the house.

* * *

 *****Present Day*****

Combing her hair back with her right hand, Paige sighed in frustration as she slammed her room door. All she wanted to do was scream and cry at the same time. _How could I be so stupid? When the girls came back into my life I should have forced to get protective services._ But now not only is one the most imperative commanders missing, but so is the girl that will always have a piece of her heart. Paige knew Caminiti's men didn't take Emily. If they did, they would have left behind clues. Silently thanking her lucky stars, the auburn girl still had to find Emily before she did something stupid; like search for her father alone.

After spending at least 2 hours looking everywhere they could think of, the team couldn't find any clues of where Emily could have been. The brunette needed time alone; Paige understood that. But she at least just wanted to know where Emily was. Grabbing a plastic cup from the top of her dresser, the auburn girl opened her drawer to take out her silver flask and poured a generous amount of Bulleit whiskey. Taking a quick sip to calm her nerves, the sudden sound of someone sniffling behind her made her spin around; it was Emily.

Not believing her eyes, Paige swallowed as she watched Emily hold herself in the corner between her bed and the night stand. Even with all the lights off, the auburn girl could easily see how distraught the chocolate eye brunette was. Feeling her heart drop at the sight, Paige pulled out her phone to send Spencer and Aiden a quick text to let them both know Emily was safe; but didn't give away her location.

Taking off her motorcycle jacket that had a hoodie within it, Paige placed it on her bed as she made her way over to the distressed girl. Silently sitting, Paige took another sip of her drink before passing it over to Emily. Paige knew Emily wasn't in the mood to say anything; she didn't care. As long as Emily was safe and was within her reach so she could be protected, Paige was able to breathe a little more.

After sitting on the cold hardwood floor for several minutes, the sudden movement of Emily trembling forced Paige to turn around and look at her. Watching Emily give up and completely break down next to her broke Paige. Quickly wrapping her left arm around the girl and bringing her closer, Emily buried her head into the side of Paige as she let it out all of her emotions. She couldn't speak, she couldn't move, she couldn't hide; all she was able to do was cry.

Paige held onto Emily as thought she was going to drift away if her grip lessened. Within minutes, Paige was able to feel Emily gain back some of her composure which she used to her advantage. Feeling a few strands of Emily's hair tickle the side of her cheek, Paige turned her head slightly toward Emily's head which was nuzzled in the crook of her neck; lightly brushing away a few strands of hair that fell into Emily's eyes before drying a few of the girl's tears with her left thumb.

The simple gesture caused Emily to finally meet Paige's gaze; forcing her to feel stupid but safe at the same time.

Still wiping away the brunette's tears, Paige held Emily's gaze. "I promise you, we're going to find your dad and Aria. I won't stop until I do"

Emily believed Paige with all her heart and just that notion made her feel slightly better. Still not able to talk, all Emily was able to do was nod at the statement. Watching Paige's eyes traveled down her body, Emily clenched her jaw as the simple act made her begin to feel self-conscious; even though she needed too.

Paige couldn't help but noticed Emily was covered in mud and dirt. She Emily needed to get away from everything. And when Emily needed to get away from something, she ran. From the stain on her knees and dirt on her arms, Paige also knew she probably fell a few times before finally finding her way back here. "Let's get you some cleaned clothes. You could sleep here tonight". Watching as Emily simply nodded again, Paige helped the girl to her feet before making her way over to her dresser and pulled out a simple black tank top with a pair of her pajama bottoms.

Clenching her jaw as she observed Emily's eyes glued to the floor, Paige simply brushed away the last few tears from her cheeks before lightly raising the girl's chin so she could meet her gaze. Feeling her throat constrict at how affected she suddenly felt at the girl's intense stare, Paige never looked away.

Instead, she reached for the hem of the brunette's grey camisole top and in one swift motion pulled it above Emily's head; leaving the brunette in just her lavender bra and skinny jeans. Fighting the urge to travel her eyes across the tanned beauty's toned torso, Paige continued gazing Emily's eyes as she put on the clean tank top.

Drifting her hands down to Emily's jeans, Paige began unbuttoning the girl's pants; earning her a light gasp from the brunette. Slowly unzipping them, the auburn girl couldn't help but part her lips at the intimate doing. Gradually sliding them down the girl's well-toned legs, Paige found herself leaning down as she helped Emily pull them off one leg at a time.

Feeling the intensity of their gaze deepened, Paige wanted to engulf the brunette into a kiss; but this wasn't the time. Forcing herself to hold Emily's gaze, Paige helped her into the new pajama bottoms before slowly pulling them up; allowing her thumbs to graze the girl's luscious long legs as she did. Earning herself a suddenly lustful stare as Emily's eyes darkened when she reached the brunettes perfectly round ass, Paige couldn't help smile to herself; realizing what a simple touch from her could do.

With Emily finally dressed, Paige licked her bottom lip to help the dryness that managed to form. "Let's get you to bed"

Swallowing as her throat constricted at the meaning of the statement, Emily simply nodded. She wanted Paige. She wanted Paige sexually. She wanted Paige mentally. But right now she needed Paige physically. She needed to feel safe. Finding herself crawling onto the large bed behind her, the sudden smell of vanilla and pears surrounded her; instantly giving her a sense of relief.

Watching as Emily made her way to the center of the bed, Paige made her way toward the other end and immediately covered them both; putting them in a forte only they were a part of. Feeling Emily turn so Paige could be the big spoon, the auburn girl snuggled into the girl as she wrapped her arms around the brunette; rapidly welcoming sleep and comfort.


	11. Chapter 11

**Siophiefandom** – I think you might be exactly right with who that award goes too. And I think in a way, Emily is Paige's home too. Thank you as always for reviewing! It means a lot!

 **Guest1** – Hahaha, thank you for that! Hope you enjoy the next chapter

 **Pailyshark** – I could definitely tell you they will be spilling everything, but only in pieces of course. Thank you for reviewing!

 **Pailyanchormcfields** – Thank you for reading and reviewing! Yes, the team and girls are staying in different locations but pretty close to each other. The girls are more in a safe house location. I couldn't help but listen to that Sam Smith song after I read your review! Thank you for that!

 **Naiel2017** – Thank you always for reading and reviewing. You're comments always make my day!

 **Thecatfromaliceinwonderland** – Lol! My revelation will all come together in later chapters. It's all about the journey after all! I was laughing myself as I made Emily out to be a bitttt…crazy? But it's also cute! I definitely wrote it as though she was jealous Paige and Sam. And well said about Paige being Emily's anchor. Of course I had the raise the heat a bit with that encounter…but just a smidge. Thank you as always for reviewing! Hope you have a great day!

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Pretty Little Liars or any of its characters**

It was the gentle stroke on her index finger of her left hand that woke her up; but she didn't want to open her eyes in fear she was simply dreaming. Dipping her head a little further into her pillow, Paige felt the smooth stroke once again as it made her fluster at the simple touch. The auburn girl wished she would be able to wake up every day like this; with the same brunette by her side. Slowly opening her eyes, Paige parted her lips when the girl's long wavy tresses came into view as she witnessed Emily lying on her right arm.

Paige knew Emily was awake as she observed the way the girl's body moved as she breathed. Swallowing to help the sudden dryness in her throat, Paige took in a deep breath before she shifted her head closer toward Emily and tightened her left arm around the brunette's waist to bring their bodies closer. Immediately taking in the smell of sweet freesia and red plum, Paige gently grazed her lips against the soft skin below Emily's left ear; feeling the girl involuntarily flinch against her at the touch. The smile that appeared across both girls lips spoke for itself.

"Morning" Paige gently whispered in a raspy voice.

"Morning" Emily whispered back as she continued stroking the auburn girl's left hand as it still rested around her waist securely.

"Couldn't sleep?" Paige quietly coaxed as she began playing with Emily's fingers.

Arching an eyebrow at the statement, Emily had a great night sleep despite knowing her father and best friend were still missing. It was the fact that she was here; in Paige's arms and her room where she couldn't help but feel completely safe and content. Now laying in the girl's bed as Paige held her was exactly what she needed. "I just woke up a few minutes ago" she responded calmly as she didn't want the auburn girl to know exactly how well she slept.

"You know I have to take you back to the girls right?" Paige stated as she held the brunette even closer.

Sighing as reality struck her, Emily dug her head into the pillow. "I know"

"And you do know everyone was looking for you this morning right?" Paige continued as she felt Emily's body curl into the pillow before her.

"I know" the brunette answered back apologetically.

The feeling of losing Emily suddenly engulfed the auburn girl with a sense of fear and dread. Just the thought of her getting hurt made Paige want to hide the girl from everything. "Em" the brown eye began as she made Emily turn around to finally hold her gaze as they laid merely inches apart.

"I know" Emily whispered.

Paige immediately felt her throat constrict the second Emily looked at her. Feeling as though she was 17 all over again, Paige could feel the blush crawl on her cheeks as it seemed as though the brunette could read her thoughts. Drifting her eyes toward Emily's enviable lips, Paige watched as the girl did the same.

Feeling her body move on auto-pilot, Paige gently leaned forward as she placed a small kiss on the brunette's forehead before she softly brushed away a few strands of hair away from Emily's eyes; placing another kiss on the girl's right temple. Tenderly grazing the brunette's cheek with her left thumb, the girls stayed in the same position; simply reveling in the feel of each other.

Emily was the first to make a move. Pushing herself up on her left arm, the brunette carefully hovered over the auburn girl as Paige nervously shifted to her back. Parting her lips at the new position, Paige gazed tenderly into Emily's eyes before back down to her lips; only to come back to her senses.

"I think we should go back to base" the auburn girl stuttered out making Emily lean back.

"Right now?" the brunette replied in surprise.

"Yeah, I…I need to meet back up with the team to find out any leads" Paige mumbled out as she tried getting to her feet. Closing her eyes in complete inanity, the auburn girl knew she couldn't do anything with Emily given their situation. The case was the primary target currently. She didn't have time to get involved with anyone let alone Emily. She needed to focus.

"Work talk. Right" Emily replied as she combed back her hair in frustration. "Let's get back to base" she replied rhetorically before heatedly making her way to the bathroom.

Paige could tell Emily was livid given by the slam of the bathroom door. Flinching at the sound of thump, Paige flew back against the mattress as she tried to get control of her emotions.

* * *

"Geez Em. A text would have been fine you know. Do you know how worried we were?" Hanna shouted out as she watched her friend storm into the conference room.

Emily wasn't in the mood to deal with anyone in light everything that's happened in the last 12 hours. Tightening her jaw, she refused to look forward as she made her way over to the back of the room. As took her seat, she simply replied, "I'm sorry"

"You're sorry Ms. Fields?" Aiden firmly asked as turned to look at Paige who seemed as though she was forcefully dragging her feet to enter the room. Realizing the tension between the two, the team lead cleared his throat. "Look, we understand the situation-"

"The situation Mr. Weaver?" Emily furiously replied. "The situation is my father and best friend were both taken and we still have no leads of where to go"

"And if you stayed put maybe we could have found something" Aiden strictly replied.

"How? Your orders were to babysit us wasn't it?" Emily quickly retorted.

Shifting his eyes quickly to the auburn girl as she simply arched her eyebrow at the mini argument that just erupted, Aiden simply licked his lips to control his own temper. "Ms. Fields, right now you 3 are our priority"

"Not Commander Fields?" Emily boldly stated as more of a question.

"Commander Fields was trained like the rest of us. He knows how to defend himself" Aiden firmly stated.

"We could train them" Paige suddenly stated; surprising everyone.

With the entire room turning toward the auburn girl's proposal, Aiden gave Paige a look of confusion. Paige knew she had to explain herself. Getting up from the front seat she took, she stood up so everyone could understand her point of view. "Look, there's only so much protection we could give the girls. Once we go on a mission, we won't be here. The guys outside their place sure, they could protect them but what if they can't. What's our second line of defense?"

"They go back to Rosewood" David answered.

"I agree. It'll give us more time to focus" Skylar added in.

Placing her hands on her hips, Paige looked at Emily before looking back at her team. Maybe she was being a little selfish, but the last thing she wanted was allow those girls to go back to Rosewood unprotected. "Well we could, but look how well things turned out for Aria" Paige disputed. "Caminiti knows where the girls live. We would be putting those girls in more danger if we just bring them back to Rosewood"

"Don't we have a say?" Spencer soon chimed in.

"No" Paige quickly answered. "You don't. Look, all I'm asking is maybe they could learn a few basic defensive moves. For instance that day on the cliff. When one of those guys placed his arm around Emily's neck she could have easily defended herself if she knew the proper steps"

"I agree" a deep voice soon sounded from behind the auburn girl. Turning around quickly to watch as Commander Collins made his way toward the front of the room, he continued. "If Ms. Fields knew the basic techniques of self-defense, it would have saved us a day from having to look for you two". Placing his books down, he continued as he looked to the team. "But it won't be by you guys. We'll have our own defensive trainers train them as you were trained". Focusing his attention onto the girls he firmly stated, "You'll have 4 days of basic training. If you don't pass the end exam, you will be sent back to Rosewood to stay in a safe house"

"What is the end exam?" Spencer asked.

"You will need to win a fight between you and another officer. Anyone of your choice" Commander Collins instructed. "I suggest you follow Officer Herd and he will show you the training room. As for you guys" he stated as he directed his attention toward the team. "You will be joining our team over to the Texas base to help with the search on Commander Fields. Are we all in agreement?"

"Yes" everyone said in unison.

"Good" Commander Collins acknowledged.

* * *

Marital arts can't be mastered in merely a week let alone 4 days. It takes years of repetition and practice where someone truly masters the basics. But the girls didn't have years; they had merely hours to learn the basics. With the team away to Texas, the girls felt somewhat more relaxed they didn't need to worry about someone watching them all the time. It gave them to the chance to collect themselves and focus on the target at hand. And right now their target was finding Emily's dad and Aria. Their first obstacle was passing this final test the commander in charge gave them.

They had exactly 4 days to get in tip top shape. Every day from 8am till 4pm they were taught the basic footwork, the basic punches and kicks, the basic takedowns and ground techniques. They would learn to use every part of their body down to the pinky toe in order to get out of a dire situation. This is what they needed to do. But it didn't stop there for some of them. Emily was focused; she had a drive she never felt before. When they got back to their rooms every day, Emily would continue practicing in her room till she collapsed; sometimes even pushing herself even further.

Emily knew she had to do everything she could stay with the Special Ops Officers for the sake of her dad and best friend. But there was another reason she didn't want to admit. It was a reason that made her feel selfish and furious at herself for realizing. But every day she found herself pushing even further was because she needed to prove something; she needed to prove something to Paige.

After she watched the brown eye officer leave, Emily was livid. She was angry at herself for what she did that morning. Paige McCullers would never go for her anymore. Yes, they used to be best friends. But she managed to ruin that. She followed her feelings rather than her head. If she was in Paige's shoes, she wouldn't trust her either; she ruined it. Feeling herself tear up at the thought of losing her best friend, Emily worked out more; she worked harder. Now after all these years, she finds herself face to face with the girl and Emily swore all the oxygen was knocked out of her. Paige McCullers, the girl whom she shared everything with now stood before her looking exceptionally stunning. The girl was the perfect specimen of a human being. She was smart, gorgeous, thoughtful and a complete bad ass.

Paige could have anyone she wanted; she was that type of girl. With that note, Emily couldn't stop herself from thinking of all the women the auburn girl could have been with. It was obvious girls were attracted to her so it would be easy for to get any of them. But she had the personality to walk up to any as well and easily sweet talk her way into that situation. Realizing she never bluntly asked Paige if she had a girlfriend, the notion engulfed her with jealousy. Wondering if the chocolate eye belonged to someone else. That there was woman who she shared her jokes with, or her smile. A woman who took care of her when she got home. A woman who satisfied her beneath the sheets.

All of the doubts that raced through her mind only made Emily work harder and learn quicker. She was more than ready for the tournament against an officer. She was ready to prove something.

Time passed faster than expected; for Emily at least. Spencer was just as determine to help find Aria and Commander Fields. Hanna was nervous. Every night they came home that week she would complain about needing more time. However no additional time was given and the main day came by before they knew it.

With the team absent from the final test, Emily felt somewhat unsatisfied yet was still as determined. Spencer was the first to stand in the ring as at least fifty other officers surrounded the girls; watching in entertainment. Her main tactic was the joint locks. Choosing one of the scrawny male officers to her right, Spencer really didn't care who she fought. In all honesty she felt as though she needed to get out some pent up anger. The officers immediately started cheering on their own once Commander Collins gave the word to begin.

In total her fight lasted about 7 minutes before Spencer got tired of just pacing herself. Using a simple wrist lock against her opponent, it opened her to place herself in the right position to conduct a full body compression lock from behind as she squeezed the man's joints easily causing him pain. With the thin officer trying as hard as he could to defend himself, he ended up yielding within seconds; bring excitement to the girls. They at least had one of them to stay behind and look for Aria.

Hanna was the next one up. Looking around her, she decided on the obvious choice; the newbie female officer. The blonde's choice of defense was the strikes. Feeling immediately nervous as the crowd started cheering once Commander Collins gave the signal, Hanna was easily pinned down by a chokehold within seconds of starting.

Yielding at the attack, Hanna held her throat as the commander gave a nod to give her one more try. Furious at herself for loosing so quickly, the dirty blonde got back into defensive position as she looked at her opponent one more time. The girls were instantly cheering her own to give her more courage.

Emily was trying her best to scream the loudest as she watched Hanna begin to navigate around the ring. Hearing Spencer do the same, the brunette felt her throat cut off when her eyes darted toward the front doors as she saw the team make their way in and toward the bleachers. Forcing herself to continue cheering, she couldn't find it within her to cheer as loud. However she didn't need to.

Hanna managed to throw a few closed hand punches toward the small brunette as it opened her up for an attack on the shorter girl's legs. Easily striking the girl's left lower leg, she managed to bring the blue eye girl to her knees as she performed the same chokehold that caused her defeat. Watching as the officer reached her hands out to yield, Hanna couldn't help but jump for joy as ran back to the girls to give them a group hug.

Clearing her throat, Emily knew she was next. Suddenly nervous as she made her way toward the circle, the commander gave her a look that indicated the question; who did she want as an opponent? Gradually looking around at the officers ready to fight, the brunette paused when those same piercing brown eyes that haunted her dreams caught her gaze. Holding on for a few seconds, it wasn't a question who she wanted to pick.

Paige felt an immediate sense of dread dawn her. _What was Emily thinking?_ Taking a quick glance at Aiden, Paige looked back at Emily to make sure she was actually choosing her. When Emily gave her half a smirk, Paige knew she wasn't backing down. Standing up as a sense of acceptance, the crowd was up in a complete uproar. Everyone else would pick a newbie or someone weaker than them; but Emily decided to choose someone her own size and with years of experience.

Making her way down to the inner circle, Paige took her jacket off to make herself more comfortable. She didn't understand what Emily was doing. _Did she think she wasn't going as hard on her because of their past? Did she think she'd just yield?_ There was no way she was going allow that.

With both girls getting into their defensive stance, they waited until Commander Collins gave the signal before the fight finally started.

"Not sure why you picked me Em, but don't think I'm going to go easy on you" Paige stated as she watched the brunette carefully for any attack.

Cautiously making her way around the well trained officer, Emily was more than certain she wanted Paige as her opponent. "It's not like you ever do"

Furrowing her eyebrows at the statement, Paige didn't know what she meant by that. About to ask, Paige was suddenly found herself blocking a few jabs Emily was throwing at her followed by a hard roundhouse kick that took her by surprise as she twisted her whole body to block it. Paige shot Emily a firm look before getting back into defensive position. "Is there a reason why you're angry at me?"

"Why would I be angry at you?" Emily harshly retorted as she did a flying side kick; knocking Paige off the mat as she tried to regain her footing.

Immediately falling to her right knee at the impact of Emily's kick, Paige looked up at the brunette with a more determined look on her face. _Was Emily this mad because of what happened that morning?_ Paige knew there was more to the story. Slowly getting to her feet, Paige knew she had to be more focused. "No reason. You just seem like you have some anger issues you're letting out"

Paige could see Emily slightly nod at her statement before aiming for the lower half of her body. Vigilantly watching as Emily shifted her body, Paige took the moment to place her hand on the back of Emily's neck as the brunette was already in motion and steered the girl to the floor before pinning her down beneath her. Feeling Emily try to resist getting pinned, Paige pushed her right arm against the tanned girl's back to keep her on the ground. "What is going on with you?"

"Nothing" Emily shouted before freeing her left arm and used the opportunity to wrap it around Paige's neck in order to finally break herself free. "What happened? You don't think I'm good enough to fight you?" the brunette said breathlessly as she got her feet.

"What are you talking about?" Paige asked completely confused.

Emily tightened her jaw at the question as she tried aiming to do a double leg take down again but stumbled as she watched Paige complete a cheat gainer above her before landing behind the brunette. "That's cheating"

"The funny thing about martial arts is that anything goes. So how about you stop dodging the question and answer me?" Paige responded more firmly.

"That's a lot coming from you" Emily retorted as she watched Paige make her way toward her. Emily wasn't sure of what Paige was about to do as she observed the girl grab her wrist and twist it in a way where her body could only follow as it led her to be cradled within Paige's fitted form.

"Now what does that mean?" Paige whispered as she held the brunette firmly from behind. "How about you stop with the subtle hints and just tell me"

Elbowing the auburn girl in the side with her free arm, Emily managed to perform a push kick to allow her more to get prepared. "You don't like that do you?" she asked before doing a side kick on the auburn girl. "Not having something directly told you?"

Paige was getting more than annoyed by the brunette's sudden antics and needed to stop this. Going in for a double leg take down, the auburn girl was easily able to perform it as she grabbed the brunette by the legs and lifted her up before somewhat gently throwing her on the ground; pinning her down below as she was finally able to get Emily to talk to her face to face.

"Why didn't you just tell me you liked me in high school?" Emily bluntly asked out of breath.

* * *

 *****8 Years Ago*****

It was a given; any physical activities wasn't one of Paige's strengths. Thankfully however, the auburn girl was able to hide behind Emily and Spencer's physical endurance to sail by without anyone taking notice in PE. Always making sure she was number 6 in the rotation pattern, Paige felt comfortable with staying in the back as the rest of her team members dominated the current volleyball game. Moving around to get away from the ball, Paige watched in admiration as the certain bronze brunette did a quick bump before Spencer lightly tapped the ball with fingers, allowing Emily to skillfully smack the ball into their opponent's court.

Celebrating as they made yet another goal, the girls soon heard Coach Fulton blow her whistle; indicating all the girls to take a knee. Quickly focusing their attention toward the shorter lady, Paige suddenly felt her mouth go dry as she couldn't help but notice Emily's lips part as her chocolate eyes were glued to the figure standing right near the coach.

"Alright class. It looks like we have a new addition this year to Rosewood High. This is Alison Dilaurentis. She's a transfer from Ravenswood High School" the coach belted out.

That was all Paige was able to hear before everything went silent. All she could focus on was her heart pounding as she watched Emily drool over the gorgeous blonde standing near the middle aged coach. She didn't see the blue eye blonde make her way toward the opponent side of her court. She didn't see the other students lift up from the sound of the whistle being blown to continue. She didn't even see the ball being handed to her to serve.

Paige was completely frozen. She didn't know how to describe the feeling that suddenly coursed through her; but it hurt. Her throat and chest felt as though it was suffocating her. Her arms and legs completely gave out. Paige couldn't determine why, but something told her Alison was going to be the end of any chance she could have with the brunette.

Feeling a hand gently pat her on her back, the auburn girl looked up as her expressive eyes caught Spencer by surprise. "Are you okay?" the slim brunette simply asked. Forcing herself to her feet, Paige couldn't speak; she didn't trust herself too. Simply nodding before taking the ball to serve, Spencer knew something was wrong by the girl's willingness to just accept the ball. "Paige, what's wrong?"

"Nothing" was all the dazed intellect was able to mumble. Truthfully, Paige didn't know if something was actually wrong. It was just a feeling she had. She's never seen Emily so taken by just a mere glance from another woman. It was unsettling.

Gathering her nerves to try to make one serve, Paige threw the ball up in the air as hard as she could; but failed to gain enough composure to actually hit it. Shaking her head as she tried again, Paige threw the ball in the air once more before smacking it with everything she had; she smacked it right into Emily's back.

Taken aback from her own actions, the auburn girl watched in silence as Emily slowly turned around to give her a flabbergasted look. Noticing the brunette's eyebrow arch as she held her gaze, Emily made her way toward Paige before giving her nod to switch places with her. Within seconds, Emily served the ball perfectly allowing the match to finally begin.

Still unable to fully move, Paige watched as the new girl began calling out for the ball as she skillfully set the ball for the girl behind her; hitting it directly toward her. Quickly shifting out of the way, the auburn girl watched as Emily quickly dug for the ball giving Spencer the ability to bump before Emily came over to spike it.

It happened as though everything was in slow motion. Paige watched as the ball was still up in the air before Emily came over and spiked it just as the new blonde made her way over the net to block the ball; instead finding herself body slamming directly into the brunette. Witnessing as Emily fell directly onto of the blonde, Paige felt as though she was just punched in a gut.

Combing her hair back with her right hand as she leaned on her left hand to look below her, Emily couldn't help but blush as she found herself directly between the gorgeous blue eyed newcomer's legs. Seemingly out breath, the brunette held the girl's gaze before finally speaking up. "I am so sorry"

"I'm not" Alison flirtatiously responded.

Turning complete red, Emily couldn't help but do a head dip before unwillingly pushing herself off the blonde and watching as the girl's helped her to her feet. Holding each other's gaze as they made their way back to their respective teams, Paige stood still as Emily and Spencer drifted toward her.

"You ok there Em?" Spencer asked with a smirk.

"Yeah" Emily responded out of breath.

"Maybe you should take a little break to control that lady boner you have" Spencer replied before taking the ball from the brunette.

Tightening her jaw to hide her sudden jealousy, Paige heard the coach blow her whistle as an indication class was finally over. Confused at what was happening to her, the auburn girl could hear Spencer and Emily talk next her; but couldn't make out anything. Allowing her own thoughts to get best of her, Paige was in a complete daze. _Why is this happening to me?_

* * *

 *****Present Day*****

The candid question from Emily caught Paige off guard as the enraged brunette took the chance to switch positions as she was on top; pinning Paige below her.

"Didn't think I would eventually find out?" Emily asked as she held Paige's startled gaze. "I mean yeah, I didn't figure it out until you left and I sat there alone in my wondering what the hell happened between us". Feeling the auburn girl squirm beneath her, Emily held her position firmly as she continued. "I mean I knew it had to deal with Alison, but I just didn't know to what extent. Then I started slowly piecing it together after you yelled at me in the lake. The flowers you threw out by the locker room should've been a huge clue. Why didn't you just tell me? Why did you just leave?" the brunette asked pleadingly.

Paige felt as though her entire body was sweating as her stomach suddenly shifted to her throat. She didn't know how to respond to the questions Emily was throwing at her. Refusing to shift her eyes anywhere else besides Emily, Paige felt them fill with tears. Gradually straightening her right arm, the auburn girl lightly tapped the floor indicating her yield just as a tear fell from eyes. She watched as Emily parted her lips yet remained on top of her for a few more seconds.

Hearing the crowd cheer for the three girls that just won their freedom of staying with the special ops division, Paige slowly got to her feet as the sound surrounding arena was completely silent to her. She could only feel the small blood vessels in her ears beat harder as her heart rate increased. As she made her way over to the team, Paige refused to look anyone in eye knowing they were going to ask what happened out there. Lifting her eyes back toward the center of the ring, the auburn girl was immediately met with Emily's own gaze.

Neither could hear Commander Collins congratulate the three girls as they could only focus on each other. It was out there. Paige's secret of falling for the brunette. Emily knew. Without anything needed to be said, both Paige and Emily took another step in retrieving what they once had.


	12. Chapter 12

**Siophiefandom –** Thank you as always for reviewing! I'm curious, how did you think it would go down?

 **Guest1/Confused –** Of course Paige would have won this fight if it was against anyone else. She's had so much experience in this situation. The only reason why she lost was because of all the emotions flowing through her…especially being confronted face to face. It came out of nowhere and Paige had no idea how to respond. All she wanted to do was run. That's why I figured she'd yield. Thank you so much for reviewing!

 **DarkBlueMint** – I completely agree! I kind of thought back to the episode where Paige gave the note to the cops about Alison. She just wanted to protect her girlfriend…but somehow Emily only sees things her way.

 **Naiel2017/pailyshark** – Lol, thank you! And thank you for always reviewing. I really appreciate it!

 **EmGarretson22** – Hahaha! WELL…define "soon". I thinkkkkk my soon is a bit longer than your soon.

 **Guest2** – Every time you say that I just want to post sooner. Thank you so much for enjoying the story so far!

 **Thecatfromaliceinwonderland** – Lol! OK…now it's my turn to confess something. My intension was for you to feel kinda lousy after I introduced Alison so I know it wasn't because of those Christmas cookies. I promise I'll make things better…eventually. I mean I just introduced Alison! You think I'd stop at just one chapter? I thought you knew me better. AND I guess we think alike. I also thought about that episode of where Hanna and Emily were dancing! But I thought about that episode for this chapter…and it was more so Emily that I had in mind. Thank you as always!

 **CaliGrlFoLife, Jessi1288, Xweet338 and bebeden12** – Thank you so much for the PM's and encouragement!

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Pretty Little Liars or any of its characters**

Tonight Paige only had one main objective in mind. Clenching her jaw as she fastened the single button on her chambray ruched sleeve jacket, Paige smoothly made her way into Lace Night Club. When the team found out their next task was at a local strip club, their silence spoke for itself. Majority of the drug lords they've captured owned such clubs; giving them enough experience to easily walk in and execute their operation. However this time around, the team knew it was going to be different. They weren't looking for any of Caminiti's men; they were looking for his daughter.

After forensics came back with multiple prints matching not only Caminiti and his men, but his daughter as well; the team's best bet was to trail the girl. If Caminiti was willing to take a civilian and Commander right off the street, anyone close to Caminiti is technically fair game. After doing a bit of research on the new target, they managed to find out Claire Caminiti was a skilled DJ; known to basically everyone within the area as DJ Raunchy. The girl was undeniably gorgeous; however seemed to not allow that to get over her head. In majority of the pictures they've seen of the dirty blonde, she had endless amount of fans flaunting over her; especially woman. Using that a hunch, Paige knew she and Skylar were going undercover tonight; with Dave as a backup in case their hunch was wrong.

Selecting her plunging white V-neck blouse, Paige tucked it into her slim fitted chambray pants that went along with her ruched sleeve jacket. The auburn girl was ready to sit in the audience and play by ear what she might find out about Claire. Skylar on the other hand would be taking the stage as she would be playing a more straightforward role. Dave on the other hand would play a similar role to the auburn girl; however he would be staying out of view until it was necessary. While the three made sure their covers weren't blown, Aiden and Dylan would be the eyes and ears of the team tonight allowing the rest to know where and when to go.

Paige knew the assignment was the complete opposite of what her old friends where use to. Deciding to hide the details from everyone; especially when it came to a certain brunette, Paige felt somewhat relieved Emily wouldn't have to see her in such a situation. After the confrontation during their match back at headquarters, Paige didn't even know how to begin a conversation with the girl and refused to have any interaction with Emily until she knew what to say. Grabbing a whiskey neat from the bar once she entered the premise, Paige took a sip as she took in the appearance of the lounge.

The entire area had a rustic feel to it. With the lights low, the auburn girl saw the stage was in a form of an S with a pole at the front as well as the back; fitting tables below the area. The second level was restricted for VIP suitors which wasn't the team's primary focus, however the DJ booth located in the center of the 2nd floor was. Knowing she wasn't going to be able to get up there by herself, Paige decided to take a seat within view of the certain blonde. Paige wanted Claire to be able to see her face but didn't want to be too obvious. Therefore settling on the left side of the stage, the auburn girl figured her right side was perfect to present.

Taking another sip of her drink to calm her nerves, Paige glanced over at a few of the dancers that were performing before hearing a familiar voice in her ear piece.

"How you holding up over there McCullers? You seem a bit squeamish" she heard Aiden ask.

Resting her chin in the palm of right hand, Paige was able to whisper loud enough that the pin on her collar picked it up. "Well unlike some other people I may know that has experience in this place, I don't need to pay for someone to give me a lap dance"

"Ouch P, be careful. I'm expecting you to give a good tip for what's going down tonight" Skylar soon joined.

"Well you better put on a performance I'd pay for" Paige retorted with a smirk.

"I always knew you wanted to see me dance" Skylar replied with a slight laugh. "But I need you to promise me something"

"What? No bills in the thong area?" Paige answered as she leaned back.

"Don't hate me for what's about to happen" Skylar whispered. "It wasn't my idea"

Scrunching her eyebrows in confusion, Paige felt the air around her stand still as the lights completely turned off except for on the stage. Wanting to clarify the statement just made, the auburn girl was about respond but was interrupted by the announcer.

"I'd like to give you all a warm welcome to the luscious Lace Lounge tonight" the man began in a deep seductive voice. "Hope you're all enjoying the evening so far and know it's far from over. I have a…special performance for you all tonight. Visiting us from California for tonight only I'd like you welcome…Ms. Bronze Buttah"

With that, a loud of applauses vibrated throughout the crowd as Paige's eyes widen as she realized what Skylar meant. "Get her the fuck off that stage right now"

"Paige, she offered to help even knowing what she had to do" Aiden responded.

"You better get her the fuck off that stage or I'll do it for you" Paige furiously replied as she watched in horror as Emily's back was pressed against the back pole as the brunette caressed her entire body against it as she slowly made her way down the cold metal before gliding her way seductively upward in line with the beat from the Weeknd's "Wicked Games".

"P, we didn't have enough time to train Skylar on a performance. Emily was the only one who had enough dance experience to try to put something together. We even tried using Hanna" Dylan tried explaining.

As Paige's eyes were glued to the brunette as she seductively made her way across the stage in her extremely short black laced dress, the auburn was about to respond when a few of the front lights slowly went up preventing Paige from saying anything; only watching in agony as the bronze beauty continued bending over as she flipped her hair to the side in one smooth motion before dropping to the floor and crawling seductively toward the front pole.

Paige swore the pool of wetness forming between her legs was going to leak straight through her pants as felt her heart was beating in her throat. Completely gawking at the sexy brunette on the stage, Paige couldn't help but feel sexually frustrated as she watched Emily expertly dance on the pole. Feeling her eyes glued on the girl's long legs, the auburn girl suddenly felt a pair of eyes on her. Gradually drifting her eyes upward, Paige found herself staring right into the brunette's chocolate brown eyes as the girl continued to make her way down the pole.

Parting her lips when she noticed Emily beginning to unzip her dress from the side, Paige struggled to simply swallow as her left eyebrow arched at the sudden appearance of the brunette's red bra. Bracing back to keep her composure, Paige took another sip of her whiskey to try to hide her anxiety as she noticed Emily beginning to make her way toward her. Keeping her eyes on the brunette, the auburn couldn't help but drift them down ever so slightly when she witnessed the top of Emily's dress fall completely down and around her hips; exposing the girl's luscious curves.

Struggling to breathe at this point, Paige unconsciously licked her lips as Emily turned her back toward the auburn girl and grabbed her thighs; using them as support before bending down slowly. Pretending to not be affected, Paige began leaning on her right elbow as her right hand remained sprawled out on the arm rest; taking a sip of her whiskey drink once more with her left. As Emily turned around to face her _client_ , she grabbed and held onto Paige's gaze before gripping the top of the chair and moved in to straddle the girl; smiling as she felt the auburn girl graze her fingers over her bare thighs to hold her steady.

Emily knew Paige was nervous; Emily was nervous herself. But she also knew they both had to put on this show besides the fact that they were barely managing to hide their feelings. For some reason, ever since Emily finally saw Paige after all these years, a part of her thought Paige though little of the brunette. After all, Emily didn't leave Rosewood or do anything she discussed about wanting. The most adventurous thing she's done in the last 8 years was go to New York for a bachelorette party for a weekend. Her entire life was back in Rosewood. That was her bubble. Yet here was Paige; a Special Ops Officer who traveled the world and lived on danger. Emily felt as though she needed to prove she wasn't that angel people assumed her to be.

And with that in mind, Emily unzipped the rest of her dress; exposing her matching red panties. Watching as Paige's eyes traveled down her body, Emily felt satisfied over the strong effect she had over the auburn girl once she watched the girl's lips part. Gently grabbing Paige's right hand, Emily led it toward her body as she grazed it down her toned abdomen; arching her back at the feel of the auburn girl touching her. Closing her eyes in complete restlessness, Emily parted her lips as she gradually opened her eyes; finding herself staring right into the lustful gaze of one Paige McCullers.

Knowing the song was about to finish, Emily had one final move. Grabbing the top of Paige's chair one last time, Emily pushed herself upward as she teased the auburn girl with her perfect chest before leisurely gliding her fingers within the deep V-neck shirt the auburn girl was wearing to caress the girl's toned stomach. Leaning toward the right side of Paige's ear, Emily managed to whisper "I think you're supposed to show some sort of appreciation if you liked the performance". Watching as the girl swallowed beneath her, she felt Paige's warm hands graze gradually up the back of her thigh before reaching the edge of her panties. Looking down as the auburn girl's fingers lingered there; Emily parted her lips as Paige began playfully pulled on the lingerie's waistline as though she would rip them off before inserting a few dollars.

Smirking a bit as the song ended, Paige knew Emily was as turned on as she was; but the girl was also floored at such a risky move. Watching as Emily made her way back toward the curtains; Paige ignored the announcer as she whispered back into her collar. "Get Emily out of here now"

"P, what are you talking about. This where we need her now." Dave stated as he was confused.

"I'm not risking her life for the sake of this task" Paige calmly replied.

"What if Claire was more into my performance then she is into you?" Emily suddenly chimed into the conversation.

"Then she'll do anything to get you and we'll be there to intercept that" Paige replied as she got up from her chair; needing to relieve that sudden pressure between her legs. "As for now, I want you to leave"

"No" Emily firmly stated.

"Paige, she is not leaving and this is a direct order" Aiden firmly stated. "We know she's your friend, but we'll be watching her. No one is going to hurt her"

Sighing loudly in frustration as she entered the woman's rest room, Paige slammed the door so hard she made the attendant jump. Timidly realizing her behavior, Paige mumbled "sorry" before making her way into one of the stalls. Knowing full well she couldn't take care of that release she desperately needed with someone else in the room, Paige was only able to wipe herself dry before closing her eyes and trying to focus on the task at hand.

* * *

 *****8 Years Ago*****

Squatting down near the large tree in front of Rosewood High to tie the left side of her fusion Nike sneakers before jumping back on her FSX aluminum mountain bike, Paige didn't think she would be in anybody's way; however was seemingly mistaken the second she felt someone stumble into her.

Imprudent and daft were two terms someone would ever call Paige McCullers. The brown eye pupil knew she was far from any path any of the students would take. Furrowing her brows as she looked up to see who exactly stumbled into her, Paige immediately caught glance at the same blue eye beauty she's been dreading for weeks.

"I am so sorry" Alison apologized but seemed somewhat bogus as she did so. "I didn't see you there"

"It's fine" Paige simply stated before standing up and began walking away. She wasn't in the mood to have to deal with her own emotions let alone the cause of them.

"Hey wait" the blonde beauty exclaimed as she walked a little quicker to catch up to the auburn girl. "You're Paige right? Paige McCullers?"

Refusing to stop walking, Paige kept her eyes straight as she answered. "Yeah"

"I thought I recognized you. I'm Alison" the blonde eye beauty greeted. "I just transferred here from Ravenswood. You're friends with Emily Fields right? I saw you guys during lunch yesterday"

"That's right" Paige simply replied as she continued walking. Paige knew she could have just jumped on her bike and ride away; but she could just imagine what would be said at school the next day. She'd be known as the girl who was completely rude to the new girl for no reason at all.

Nodding at the acknowledgement, Alison sustained her conversation. "Right. I knew that was you. I hate to admit this, but I'm actually kind of envious of you"

Taken aback by such a statement, Paige finally stopped as she turned to the blonde beauty. "Why's that?" she asked confused.

"Because you could see that gorgeous girl anytime you want" Alison replied slyly with small smirk as she slowly began walking ahead of the girl; waiting for Paige to follow her.

"Is there something I could help you with Alison?" Paige asked heatedly.

Widening her smile, Alison knew she finally got through to the auburn girl. "Do you by any chance know what Emily's type is? I mean, I know she's into girls. But, is she more into…you know"

Increasingly getting angry at what the girl was insinuating; Paige stood firmly where she stood. "I don't know"

"Girls like you or girls like me?" the blonde beauty bluntly stated as she turned around and caught Paige's stare.

"Excuse me?" Paige furiously replied.

"It's not a secret you know" Alison stated before beginning to walk slowly again hoping the auburn girl would follow her this time. "There's a clear difference between you know… girls like me and girls like you"

"Please…do tell" the auburn girl retorted.

"You need me to spell it out for you huh?" Alison asked in a tone that made Paige feel belittled. "I see. Well Paige. There are girls like me. Attractive. Admired. Smart. Sassy. And trust me, the list goes on and on. I mean, when people look at me, they know I'm bringing something new to the table. Then…there are girls like you; barely mediocre" she stated as she looked at the doleful girl up and down before continuing. "Dull. Typical. I mean, for godsakes…you do own a mirror right? Do you see the way you dress? I'm not saying this to mean. Take it as a helpful hint. But I do want to know if Emily goes after girls like you or me" she finished before turning around to carry on walking.

The feeling of stupidity and ugliness dawned on Paige. She never thought of herself as the most good looking girl at school, but she at least thought she was decent. Alison was right though. What girl would ever want someone who's typical and dull when they could have someone spunky and sassy? Emily was perfect and deserved the best. That's why Emily was so attracted to Alison. She was the new toy in school. The blonde's aura seeped adventure; that was something she would never have. "Who says I want Emily?" she mumbled.

"Please" Alison simply stated as she turned around to look at the insecure girl. "You were practically swimming in your own drool during PE class. You want her" the blonde beauty revealed before walking up dangerously close to the auburn girl. "You want her as bad as I want her. We just have to see who wins. After all, we can't all be Versace" she stated with a smirk. Observing Paige for a second longer than she should, Alison finally walked off leaving Paige in her own thoughts. "Give Emily my best"

* * *

 *****Present Day******

After a few minutes, Paige gained back her composure back as she made her way out of the restroom and over to the bar area. After that piece Emily just performed, the auburn girl was in need for something stronger than a drink; but that's all she was able to have at the moment before finishing the task at hand.

Putting her ear piece back on, Paige immediately heard her team lead speak up again. "P, Emily is staying. She's getting dressed right now and will be out there in a few minutes to see if she is within Claire's sights"

Paige selected one of the bar stools that had a clear view of the stage as well as the rest of the area before raising her arm to call over the bartender and hide the motion of her lips. "That's great. When did we start using civilians as bait?" she asked before placing her arm down when the bartender came over. "Can I have a whiskey neat?"

"Whiskey neat?" a charming voice asked from Paige's left as the woman took a seat right next to her. "After that performance I would expect you need an ice cold shower. I'll have what she's having" the sandy hair blonde stated as she saw the bartender bring over Paige's drink.

"Tell me about it" Paige replied as she kept her focus forward; taking a sip of her whiskey. "They should have rooms in the back to relieve that sudden…pressure"

Smirking to herself at the response, the petite woman took a sip of her own drink. "They do" she stated before turning to face Paige. "So why aren't you running over there to take that brunette to the back?"

Turning a bit to give the hazel eye beauty a quick glance before turning a bit more in time to see Emily make her entrance toward the crowd, the auburn girl answered. "She isn't really my type"

"Really? Why's that? Too angelic?" the blue-eye blonde asked as she spun fully around to face the brunette as she watched Emily lean into one of the customers before swaying seductively in front of her.

Paige might have blown her own cover if Emily was dancing for anyone other than one person. But thankfully that person was Skylar who was keeping an eye on the girl. Twisting her own body around to match the smaller woman before her, Paige took another sip of her whiskey before answering her. "I used to be into the whole angelic thing. But that phase quickly passed" the auburn girl stated as she knew Emily was still listening on her earpiece.

"And why was that?" the edgy bob hair girl asked as she gave Paige a sly grin. "The girl back home broke your heart?"

Feeling the intensity of Emily's eyes on her, the girl didn't know just how right she was. "I just quickly realized how many other types of girls were out there besides the typical good girl when I left home" the auburn girl answered as she combed her hair back with her right arm so everyone listening could hear her clearly. Easily seeing Emily's head snap in her direction, Paige knew the brunette's face became stern.

"What types did you find?" the blonde asked.

"You know, you seem to be very interested in me for some reason" Paige retorted as she turned slightly to face her guest.

"What can I say? You intrigue me" the stranger replied seductively as she took a sip of her drink. "So what phase are you in right now?"

"Right now? I'm all about experience. But I like it mixed with a little sassiness in them" Paige somewhat honestly responded. Observing as the dirty blonde began roaming her eyes over Emily; Paige used it as an opportunity to find out more about the stranger. "But hey, if that girl was your type, feel free to go for it"

"If she was my type, I'd already have her. But she's not" the beauty slyly responded as she looked toward Paige before roaming her eyes up and down the auburn girl.

"So what's your type?" Paige asked as she gave the girl a sexy smirk.

"I like my girls to have a little sassy side to them" the blonde beauty seductively responded as she gave Paige a wink before taking another sip.

Liking the response, Paige couldn't help but smile. "Touché". Stretching out her hand to give the girl a handshake, Paige introduced herself. "Kat"

"Claire" the team's target replied as she reciprocated the smile and shuck Paige's hand.

That was all the confirmation the team needed before focusing their attention toward Paige and Claire. Caminiti's daughter fell for their bait. Paige was more than ecstatic it was her rather than the brunette. She honestly didn't know how she would have handled watching this girl flaunt herself over Emily. Taking another sip to cover her happiness, Paige focused her attention back toward her target.

"So Claire. Do see you someone that might be your type?" the auburn girl asked without shifting her gaze away from the blonde.

"Potentially" Claire answered as she held Paige's gaze.

"What would turn that potential to a definitely?" Paige flirtatiously asked as she bit her bottom lip.

"Depends" Claire mysteriously responded as she looked back to the crowd.

"On?" Paige asked as she looked toward Emily who clearly watching the pair from her hindsight.

"If you like a little danger" Claire stated as she downed the rest of her drink before standing up.

"You have no idea" Paige smirked.

"I do have to admit, I can't dance like her. But I can guarantee you I have way more moves" the blonde beauty replied as she leaned into Paige as though she was going to kiss her; but instead left a tip right behind the auburn girl.

"For some reason I'd like to believe you" Paige whispered back as Claire was so close to her she could feel her breathing. "But I've been burned before. I try to not believe anything until I see it for myself"

"That can be arranged" Claire huskily replied before walking away seductively as she managed to flaunt every asset she had.

Surprised by how gutsy the target had seem to be, Paige remained by the bar stool in complete awe before hearing Skylar on her ear piece. "Follow her. She's obviously asking for it. P, that's an easy play right there"

Glancing over to her hazel eye team mate, Paige drifted her eyes over to the brunette who was visibly pissed at the scene unraveling before her. Emily knew this was all part of their mission to bring the target in; she would be doing the same exact thing as Paige if Claire had went for her; but she couldn't help being jealous.

Paige looked incredible tonight. But it was her eyes that Emily couldn't get out of her mind. Those eyes that sunk into her during the entire night. The eyes that had so much lust and wanting in them. Paige didn't have to admit to anything verbally. Emily had all the confirmation she needed the instant she held the girl's gaze. Emily could easily see and feel how much Paige wanted her. She couldn't help but revel in that feeling. But now, she had to watch as the girl made her way out of the club with another girl; even though this was their job. Continuing her lap dance on the hazel beauty before her, Paige could easily tell it was nowhere close to what Emily did to her.

Downing her drink to gain some liquid courage, Paige gave one last glance at the brunette before leaving a tip on the bar counter and walking in the direction of her new priority. She had one job at that moment. That job was to follow Claire Caminiti.


	13. Chapter 13

**Ginagina11:** Thank you so much for that! I wish I could update sooner as well but it takes me some time to edit and I like giving readers sometime to catch up if they haven't.

 **Guest1:** I like how you noticed that word count in the last chapter. It was shorter, but I could tell you all my chapters are more than 4000 words. Thank you so much for reading and reviewing!

 **Siophiefandom** : Alison definitely knows the right strings to pull when it comes to people. It just makes me love Paige even more!

 **EmGarretson22** : lol! You're review made me crack up. Unfortunately, when that time comes…I had something a bit different in mind. Glad you liked it tho!

 **Pailyshark** : I had to play up Shay's dancing skills. She owned it in that episode!

 **DarkBlueMint** : I completely agree with you. I also absolutely hated how Em just dropped Paige for Samara…the girl who was supposed to help Paige come to terms with who she is. That was heartbreaking.

 **Whoopsidaisies/Medfreak/naiel2017** : Who do you think will say uncle first? Thank you so much for reading and reviewing! I always look forward to it!

 **Thecatfromaliceinwonderland** : I'm glad you liked that scene and you weren't eating when it happened lol! Maybe I should've warned you a bit. Nah! I will try to work on that tension between them tho. Emily definitely needs a small dose of her own medicine...in this story and on the show. I do plan on updating on Christmas and New Years, but I'm not entirely positive of the timing…it just depends on whenever I get a chance to.

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Pretty Little Liars or any of its characters**

Seemingly entranced by the auburn as she skillfully threw out six throwing knives towards her target before kneeing the wooden dummy; Emily continued to watch as Paige expertly began her martial arts routine onto the figure. If the brunette didn't know any better, it seemed as though Paige was taking out an extra burst of anger onto the wooden stature. Taking in how beautiful Paige was without even realizing, Emily unconsciously leaned against one of the large white columns of the warehouse; not wanting to disturb the girl from her training.

Paige had her hair up in a messy bun, allowing Emily to memorize how the small beads of sweat were able to trickle down the auburn girl's neck toward her noticeable neckline and disappear in between the girl's perfect mounts. Feeling her mouth go dry, Emily refused to stop there. Descending her gaze even further, she studied at how Paige's toned torso moved as she moved; remembering how it felt under her palms just a night ago when she danced for the girl. Balling her hands into a fist, Emily's mind began drifting back to a certain DJ. She began thinking of Claire touching the same spots she's been craving to touch; being able to touch them whenever she wanted. Parting her lips to release a breath of rage, the brunette continued drifting her gaze toward the girl's short shorts and toned legs. She couldn't help but bite her bottom lip as she remembered how it felt to grip the woman's thighs when she began situating herself between them.

Emily didn't want to see Paige go out on a date even if it was her job. Just the thought of seeing the girl talk another girl was enough to send a surge of infuriation throughout her body. Getting lost in her own thoughts, Emily didn't hear when Paige cleared her throat to get the girl's attention; but she did feel the impact of one of Paige's training gloves hitting her on the arm.

"Are you okay?" Paige asked concerned. "I've been trying to get your attention for the past 2 minutes"

Pushing herself off the column, the brunette mentally scolded herself for allowing herself to drift off. "Yeah, sorry about that. I just…got lost in my thoughts"

"How did you even know where I was?" Paige asked as she tried catching her breath.

"Skylar, of course. I saw the rest of the team out in the field, but didn't see you" Emily admitted.

"Yeah, I come over here from time to time to practice. I love it. It's open and I don't have to share it with anyone" Paige stated as she looked around the vast area before the pair. "The office pays for it. But since there's no real use for it, hardly anyone knows of it" Paige explained as she walked over to grab her water bottle resting on the windowsill. "But anyway, is there anything I could help you with?"

"No" Emily whispered out as she walked toward the auburn girl to return her glove. After a few seconds of looking down at her fingers to figure out a way to strike up the conversation, Emily figure she should just go for it. "Are you ready for your date tonight?"

Slightly taken aback by the question, Paige arched her eyebrow at how question seemed to cause the brunette some discomfort. The last thing Paige wanted was for Emily to be uneasy about her job. "Em, it's not a date"

"It is. It's not just a task. You plan on taking her out for the night and ending it with drinks. That's a date" Emily replied as she caught Paige's gaze. "Are you ready for it?"

"This is Claire Caminiti that we're talking about here. The daughter of a known drug lord. The daughter of the man who kidnapped Aria as well as your dad. I'm sorry I'm failing to see why the quote on quote date seems to be upsetting you" Paige replied a bit confused. "If anything you should be happy we're getting one step closer to finding them"

"Why can't you just take her to the integration office and wait till she gives us something?" Emily asked exasperated as she combed her hair back in frustration.

"You would like us to take the daughter of a drug lord into integration and expect us to find Aria that way?" Paige responded as she scrunched her eyebrows.

Folding her arms to protect her sudden self-conscious state, Emily started backing away from the auburn girl. "Where you guys headed tonight?"

Noticing how uncomfortable Emily was with her meeting up with Claire tonight, Paige couldn't help but feel a bit angry at how Emily was beginning to treat the situation. "What's with the cross-examination?"

"Are you serious? You're going on a date with some drug lord's daughter by yourself. The daughter who's prints were on the weapons you raided a few days ago and you're asking me what's with the questioning?" the brunette asked furiously.

"I could handle myself" Paige answered. "I have been doing a pretty good job so far"

"All I'm saying is maybe a friend should go with you or something" Emily responded nonchalantly.

"What's going on with you?" Paige asked as she narrowed her eyes. "If I didn't know any better it sounds like you're jealous. And that would be absolutely ridiculous right?"

Swallowing hard at the accusation made against her, Emily didn't know what to say. This was the girl's job; this is what she does for a living. She couldn't be jealous of a potential criminal. "Right" the brunette mumbled out.

Nodding her head as the brunette unintentionally rejected her once again; Paige stepped aside to pick up her belongings in a bit of heartbreak. "I should start heading out. Need to figure out what I want to wear for tonight's _date_. I mean, I do need her to ask me out again" the auburn girl stated quietly as she gathered her duffle bag from the floor and placed it around her.

"You never answered me know." Emily gently stated as kept her eyes on the floor. "Why didn't you just tell me you liked me in high school?"

Frozen in place, Paige arched her eyebrow at the question before turning around to stare at the brunette. Gripping her duffle bag's strap a bit tighter, the auburn girl didn't know how to answer. "What?"

"Why couldn't you just tell me?" the brunette asked on the verge of tears as she finally looked up to lock eyes with the girl who was causing her this new found of agony.

Paige remained silent for a few seconds as she continued holding onto the girl's gaze. She felt the same pain and torture Emily was going through; the only difference was she had felt it longer than Emily. "What if I did tell you I liked you back in high school?" the auburn girl asked. Earning herself a surprised look from the brunette, Paige continued. "What then? Were your feelings for Alison going to magically disappear? Or were you magically going gain feelings for me?" Paige asked miserably. "I left because I needed to move on from you. You were the reason why I didn't want to graduate early. But you were the reason why I didn't need to stay in Rosewood anymore. I didn't have a reason too anymore. I wasn't going to wait in the shadows and pine for you. Hoping one day you may feel something towards me. I had to move on. And me graduating early was the only way I knew how too"

Emily knew Paige was right. She couldn't blame the girl for leaving especially after dating Alison. Feeling a tear drop from her eyes, Emily swallowed hard to hold back her feelings. "So what? Now you moved on to girls like Claire?" the brunette asked as she remembered the conversation between the two at the night club.

"What does that matter?" Paige asked heatedly. "Claire Caminiti is my job right now. If I have to seduce her to get what I want, then I will" she firmly stated before she began to walk toward the exit.

Looking toward the auburn girl in disbelief, Emily was taken aback by such a response. "You know what? Do whatever the fuck you want to do"

"Oh. Well thank you for your unnecessary permission" Paige harshly retorted as she glanced back to look at the brunette before angrily storming out of the warehouse.

All Emily was able to do was feel her heart drop at finally hearing somewhat of a confession from Paige. But now the present was dawning on her. What if Paige didn't feel that way toward her anymore? What if she was really more into girls like Claire? What if she did like girls who were the complete opposite from her? There was no way Emily could compete for her in those regards.

* * *

 *****8 Years Ago*****

Paige honestly had no idea how this day could any worse. Kneeling down by the left hand side pedal of her FSX aluminum mountain bike, the auburn girl tried to figure out why her pedals were jammed; quickly realizing one of the sprockets had grabbed onto the bottom portion of the chain. Clenching her jaw in frustration, Paige looked up to the dark grey sky and let out a deep sigh of infuriation as the rain continued to drench her. There was no way the doe eyed girl could fix her bike without her tools.

Slowly standing up in defeat, Paige grabbed her handle rails as she began dragging the useless mode of transportation by her side. _45 minutes_. Paige repeated in her head _. It'll only take 45 minutes to walk home_. Taking in a deep breath to reassure herself everything was going to be okay, Paige didn't understand why the universe was against her today. _First my dad and his nagging insistency of going to Duke for the sake of his own alumni at 5 in the morning. Then Ms. Parker and her unrelenting lecture of starting college early for the sake of putting it in Rosewood High's weekly newsletter; after all she'd be the star guidance counselor of the year if she got her star pupil out early. Let's not forget about the lovely front row seats she had to watching Emily and Alison eye fuck the crap out of each other in Mr. Fitz's English class; that was absolutely delightful. And with all of that starting off in the morning, why would I possibly think this afternoon would be even better?_

Lost in her own thoughts, Paige kept on focusing ahead of her rather than the grey Audi RDX SUV slowing down beside her. Realizing the sudden familiarity in the voice trying to grab her attention, the auburn girl couldn't help but close her eyes in frustration as she recognized who it was.

"Hey there! Do you need a ride home?" the implacable voice asked as Paige kept her eyes forward.

"No thank you. Doing just fine" Paige self-assuredly responded as she continued walking.

"Oh come on Paige" the blonde eye beauty responded. "You're going to get sick! What would Emily have to say about that?"

Frozen in step, Paige could feel her blood boiling. Alison was right in her assumption; but how dare she act like she knows what Emily wants. Licking her bottom lip, Paige continued walking forward. "I haven't been sick for a while. I need to build up my immune system"

"Paige it's just a ride home" Alison simply replied. "Why can't we just act like mature adults?"

"Well girls like me can never be like girls like you right?" Paige coldly re-stated as she turned to stare Alison straight in the eye.

Stopping the car, Alison turned her body around to fully convey her argument. "Paige, I'm sorry we got off the wrong foot. We have a common denominator; we both like Emily. For the sake of that sexy brunette how about we put aside our differences and act like business partners? Do you really want to continue being that immature teen in Emily's eyes?"

"Excuse me?" Paige sternly asked as she dipped her head a little bit to fully hold the blonde's stare.

"Her words not mine" Alison skillfully lied as she looked forward.

"She would never say that about me" Paige replied as she nodded her to continue walking.

Putting the car on drive once again, Alison played her hand. "Ok, can't say I didn't try"

Paige couldn't help but wonder if Alison was correct. Was she being immature? She was acting as though everyone was out to get her. Taking in a deep breath, Paige closed her eyes. "Fine. Just pop your trunk so I could my bike in". Waiting for the back of vehicle to unlock, Paige drifted her eyes to the driver's seat as she found herself staring at the gorgeous blue eye girl just as she arched an eyebrow. "Please" she mumbled.

Waiting for the trunk to finally unlock, the auburn girl placed her bike in the SUV with ease before entering the passenger side. Avoiding eye contact, Paige placed her belt on as she felt a pair eyes glued on her. With her focus up front, Paige continued her involuntary behavior. "Thank you"

"No" Alison quickly replied. "Thank you"

The tension between both girls quickly engulfed the SUV once Paige entered. Neither knowing how to start a conversation, both girls relied on the radio to fill the air. Quickly realizing she never gave the blonde bombshell her address, Paige was about to speak up before realizing Alison had made a right where she was supposed to make a left. "Sorry, I should have told my address earlier, but you were supposed to-"

"Make a left back there?" Alison suddenly cut in. Arching an eyebrow in confusion, Paige couldn't speak. The unexpected feeling of dread suddenly crawled over her as she heard the blue eye girl speak up again. "You live by Hanna Marin right? I dropped her off a few nights ago after her fashion show. She pointed out your house"

"So why didn't you make a left?" Paige asked she cleared her throat.

"Because I want to show you something" Alison mysteriously responded.

"Something you couldn't show me when it's not raining or when other people are around?" Paige quickly restored.

"I figured it would be better if it's just us two without any disruptions" Alison replied again.

Gripping onto the passenger door handle, Paige sat up abruptly. "You know what, I'd really like to get off here"

"Just give me a few seconds McCullers. Then you could go anywhere you like" Alison confidently replied.

Paige knew in her gut this ride wasn't going to have a happy ending. Feeling herself tear up, Paige tried to calm her nerves before trying to gain her composure. She couldn't let Alison see the fear in her eyes. Knowing she couldn't just open the car door and jump out, the auburn girl reassured herself she shouldn't to jump to any conclusions. Maybe Alison did want to clear the air. Noticing the petite girl enter a forestry area, Paige gulped as she finally felt the SUV slow its speed.

"Get out" Alison firmly demanded before exiting the SUV.

Watching the blue eye beauty open the trunk of her SUV; the auburn girl couldn't help but watch in silence as Alison easily pulled out her broken bike and threw it in the mud.

"Hey, what the hell?" Paige yelled out as she made her way toward the back where Alison was standing. "You could have just not offer a ride you know"

"And allow the opportunity I have right now slip?" the erratic girl asked before shoving the auburn girl in the mud once Paige made her way toward her. Feeling a smile crawl to her lips as she observed Paige reaching for her glasses, Alison kneeled down to be on the same level as the weakened girl. "Why do you have to be so pathetic?" she asked as she observed Paige's eyes begin to tear up. Alison knew she finally had leverage over her. "You know I've been watching you. How you stare at Emily. How you're always by her side. How you're basically a fucking puppy wagging her tail; just waiting for Emily to throw you a bone"

"Why are you doing this?" Paige tearfully asked.

"Because I need you to understand your place compared to my place in Emily's life" Alison began. "Yes, you've been her friend for all these years. But that means absolute shit in the real world. You see the way she stares at me right?" Alison asked with a pleased tone. "Anyone could see it. How she'd drop anything to be next to me. I mean, damn. The girl looked like she wanted to rip off my clothes right there during English class in front of everyone. And you know…I'd let her. Now tell me. Do you think Emily stares at you like that? Do you think she ever will?" Watching as Paige look down in humiliation, Alison just continued. "I don't care what you tell Emily because I honestly don't think she'd even hear you. But let's get something straight. Emily wants me, not you. So no matter what you say or tell her…physical attraction always wins over…whatever the hell it is you have with her". Gradually standing up, Alison made her way to the driver's side of the car. "So can you do us all a favor and just disappear? It's revolting watching you pine over her"

Unable to move, Paige watched as the back tail lights of the grey Audi RDX SUV disappeared into the darkness. With tears streaming down her face, a part of Paige knew Alison was right. She was pathetic. It was disgusting. She was Paige McCullers. The genius of Rosewood High but nothing more.

Forcing herself to stand up, the heartbroken girl felt herself slip on the pile of mud she initially fell into yet again. Lying there for a second Paige couldn't help but think to what Alison said. " _So can you do us all a favor and just disappear_ ". She should; disappear. No one would miss her. But maybe she should try to talk to Emily first. What's the worst that could happen?

Pushing herself up once more, Paige finally stood up straight. Just the idea of talking to Emily gave Paige motivation to get up and move. Pulling up her bike, the auburn girl tearfully began walking home once again.

* * *

 *****Present Day*****

The knock on the door was one of pure confidence; Paige had every reason to be. Wearing her three quarter tanned leather jacket paired with her white plain v-neck t-shirt and a lighter tanned skinny jeans, the auburn girl made sure she wore a black belt with matching black peep toe shoes to add something that popped out on her outfit. Paige was feeling good about tonight. She's dated a few girls like Claire before and had an idea of what a perfect first date would be.

Waiting for the light green door to swing open, Paige put her game face on. Tonight was important. Not only did she need to try to gain the girl's trust but she basically doing this without backup. The only thing she had on her was a small pin to allow the team to hear her conversation. But she had no earpiece. She had no one standing guard. She didn't even have any weapons her for protection. Tonight needed to go smoothly.

As the door swung open, Paige was immediately impressed; Claire looked absolutely gorgeous and the auburn girl's face showed it. Watching as Claire blushed a little, she tucked back a few strands of hair behind her ear before turning slightly to lock the door behind her. "Well don't you know how to make a girl feel beautiful?" the dirty blonde flirtatiously stated.

"Well don't you know how to leave a girl speechless" Paige retorted as she leaned in to brush a kiss on the smaller girl's cheeks.

Trying to hide her smile, Claire took a step forward to make her way toward the elevator bank before turning to face the auburn girl. "So where are heading tonight?"

Paige roamed her eyes over the hazel eye beauty's outfit as she took in fact like the way the one piece plum jumpsuit managed to fit the girl's body perfectly. "It's a surprise" Paige simply answered as she began moving in the same direction as the girl. "Have I told you how beautiful you look tonight?"

"Well not verbally, but your eyes screamed it when I opened the door" Claire admitted.

"You look beautiful" Paige huskily admitted just as the elevator arrived.

"So do you" Claire replied as a smile crawled on her lips.

Making their way down the apartment building, Claire looked out toward the street before tucking her hands in her pockets. "So which of these magnificent cars is yours?"

"Cars? None of them" Paige answered as she made her way across the street. "But that nice looking Kawasaki H2R over there is mine" the auburn girl pointed out with a smile.

Claire arched her eyebrow as she looked at the motorcycle in complete awe. "Well damn. It's going to be one of those nights huh?"

"You did say you liked a little danger right?" Paige answered as she saddled the bike and held out the extra helmet. "Are you gamed?"

"Always" the chic petite firmly answered as she took the helmet and climbed on the bike behind Paige.

Paige swallowed as she felt Claire wrap her arms around her to secure her position; she couldn't help but feel somewhat hypocritical. The auburn girl felt as though she was doing something wrong, but knew she wasn't. Revving up the motor on her bike, Paige turned her head a bit to whisper "hold on" before finally letting go of the brakes.

It took the girls a good hour before they finally reached the destination Paige had been planning all along. Descending off the bike, the auburn girl couldn't help but smirk as she watched the smaller girl look in confusion at the area before her.

"Zoofari?" Claire asked.

"Yup" Paige simply replied as she walked closer to the girl and held her by the waist to guide her inside. "And you're going to need this" the auburn girl continued as she gave Claire a head lamp.

Taking the gear in complete confusion, Claire only looked at the girl dumbfounded.

"Now how about you trust me?" Paige asked with a smile as she began walking to the entrance of the place.

"I don't trust anyone. But that doesn't mean my curiosity doesn't get to me" the hazel eye beauty said with a smirk before putting on the head lamp.

Smiling back, the auburn girl responded, "Well I hope I don't disappoint"

Finally managing to walk in slowly into the unknown, Paige watched carefully as Claire's face finally lit up. "Zip lining?" she exclaimed. "We're going zip lining at night?"

"We are. The course is basically 2 hours. We go from tree to tree and even over 2 lakes" Paige began as she started climbing the latter of the first large oak tree before her. "At the last tree, I have a little surprise" the auburn girl stated before giving the girl climbing below her a little smirk.

"You just seem to be full of surprises tonight" Claire retorted.

"Well I am trying to impress you" Paige quietly replied as she reached the top and gave Claire a hand.

Taking the auburn girl's hand, Claire pulled the girl closer as she gave Paige a quick kiss. "You've already impressed me"

Paige couldn't hide the blush that crawled on her cheeks as she combed her hair back with her fingers tips. Parting her lips as though she was going to say something, the auburn girl simply couldn't. Watching intently as the instructor began placing the harness around the petite blonde; Paige situated herself right behind her so he could tie them both together. Holding on the girl's hips, Paige whispered, "You ready?"

That was all the girls were able to say before they were suddenly pushed off the tree and down the suspended cable; into the forestry night. The sight before them was absolutely breathtaking. Only trees and the sound of nature echoed the air around them. It was too dark for either girl to know where they were headed; allowing them to hold onto each other even tighter. The excitement and thrill that surged through them as they made their way down the first line stuck with them through the entire the entire evening. Laughing and screaming at the exhilaration they felt making it through the forest brought smiles to both girls lips.

Finally making their way to the last tree top, Paige unhooked herself from the harness before walking over to the instructor in charge of the area. Whispering something low enough only the two could hear, the elderly man pointed to another ladder on the opposite end of the final line. Stretching out her hand for the girl to take, Claire couldn't help but smile as she simply obliged and followed the auburn girl up the ladder.

"Oh my god" Claire declared breathlessly as she looked out at the view before them as they reached the top of the ladder which led to a balcony of the entire area.

"Tell me about it" Paige quietly responded as she held Claire from behind. "I figured you'd love the view as we enjoy some drinks"

Looking down to the corner of the balcony, Claire smiled as she saw the cooler before turning around to fully kiss Paige. Wrapping her arms around the smaller girl's waist, Paige held her a little closer as she fortified the kiss. It was a kiss. A typical kiss. It wasn't earth shattering or mind blowing as some people expect kisses to be. This was simply just about her job. She had to impress the girl to find out about her dad. But that didn't stop Paige from feeling completely guilty for kissing her.

Breaking the kiss after a few seconds, Paige licked her lips before looking in those hazel eyes anyone could get lost into. "So I take it you like it?"

"I love it" Claire replied. Untangling herself from the auburn girl's hold, Claire sat down as Paige began taking out two bottles of Stella from the cooler.

"So how did you get into DJ-ing?" Paige asked as she handed over one of the bottles to the blonde.

"Well my dad absolutely hated it" Claire replied with a smile before taking a sip of her beverage. "So that was definitely a start that pushed me to be better at it"

Letting out a silent laugh, Paige nodded as she took a sip of her own drink. "I take it you don't like your dad?"

"I love my dad. But he could be overbearing sometimes" the stylish blonde honestly answered. "He prefers me to just to marry someone and have kids"

"He rather you depend on your spouse?" the auburn girl curiously asked.

"The word 'depend' doesn't really vote well in my family" Claire replied with a smile. "I don't really have to worry about money when it comes to my family"

Nodding slowly at the response, Paige arched an eyebrow. "I see"

"Don't get me wrong though. I don't use his money which is why I'm a DJ. I love it. Besides the fact that it pisses him off, it makes me feel euphoric to see the type of vibes and energy I could situate in a room" the girl replied with a smile. "Plus you'd be surprised at how well it pays"

"What about your mom?" Paige asked. "What does she think?"

"My mom passed away when I was 4" Claire sadly answered.

"I'm so sorry" the auburn girl quickly responded. Paige knew about the girl's family history but needed to pretend she didn't. Claire's mother died in a car accident after she was accused of cheating on Caminiti. It was no surprise that was the woman's fate. "I'm sure she would have been proud of you though"

"I hope so" the hazel eye girl quietly replied. "What about you? What do you do?"

"I am a financial analyst. Something I think both my parents are proud of" Paige lied. "I basically followed everyone else in college"

"You don't seem like the following type" Claire honestly stated.

"Not anymore" Paige replied with a smile. The auburn girl knew she had to get more out of the girl, so tried to pry a bit more. "That's why I moved here. I've only been in the area for about a year now. Have you been here your whole life?"

Taking another sip of her water drink, Claire nodded no. "I actually moved here about 6 months ago. I use to live in Pennsylvania for about 10 years"

"What made you move?" Paige asked as she took another sip of her beer.

"I didn't really approve of my dad's business and he didn't approve of mine. So needed to get out of that area" Claire replied as she leaned back to enjoy the view.

"I know what you mean" the auburn girl replied. "My dad always wanted me to take over the family business but I didn't like the way things were ran. Ergo why I decided to work for another company"

"Where were you originally?" Claire asked.

"California" Paige stated. "The sunshine state. I needed to get out of that. I needed something new and different"

"So you picked here huh?" Claire asked with a hint of sarcasm in her voice.

"Well I met you didn't I?" Paige quickly retorted. "I could visit my parents anytime. It's good to just be free of that"

"Wish I knew the feeling" Claire quietly replied. When she noticed Paige curiously gaze at her, she continued. "Even though my dad basically moved to Georgia since I left, he still comes down every weekend to see how I'm doing"

"Wow. From Georgia?" Paige asked as she was finally getting somewhere. "I thought you guys were from Pennsylvania. I think it speaks loads if he visits all the way from Georgia"

"As I said, his business basically takes priority. Where ever it takes him, he goes. I was just there for the sake of being born" Claire said with a hint of sadness.

Paige could see the unhappiness in Claire's eyes as she looked over. Not wanting to dig into the subject further, Paige licked her lips as she shuffled closer to the beauty. "Enough about our parents. Tell me what you like to do for fun so I could prepare for our next date"

"Oh, so you think there's going to be a second date huh?" Claire asked flirtatiously.

"I'm pretty positive there's going to be a second date" Paige replied honestly as she leaned in for a kiss.


	14. Chapter 14

**Guest1:** You're right! But I guess Emily just can't help act out in jealousy.

 **EmGarretson22/ginagina11/pailyshark:** lol! I'm sorry! The flashbacks lead to why Paige left…ergo the feels being real. I do have a plan though!

 **Guest2/Whoopsidaisies:** Thank you so much for that! You'll get jealous Emily and will eventually see Emily's POV in the upcoming chapters. As you said, if I wrote it now she would just be swooning over Alison. I do have a plan! So don't worry! I am a huge Paily shipper as well!

 **Siophiefandom:** I love putting the small pieces together for how the current Paige McCullers came to be. She went from being the good girl in high school to a complete bad ass with no limitations. It's crazy how just a few months of something could mold the rest of your life. Thank you for the review!

 **Guest3:** I think you might be the first reader who thinks Paige should fall for another girl…and I have to agree with you. After Emily was completely blinded by Alison, she should feel what Paige felt.

 **Naiel2017/Karla05full:** We never like the people who come between two soulmates. However they do stir up new emotions which guide them in the right direction. They just need a bit of time.

 **Thecatfromaliceinwonderland:** Alison is a brilliant manipulator. She knows how to act to the right people which is just frustrating. And the fact that Emily was blinded by it, it's only fair she knows how it feels. Unfortunately I didn't write it so Emily listened in on the date…but she will definitely be in a mood. As for Claire, I do have to admit I love the fact that you don't hate her. I didn't want to make her a character that readers hate because I need Emily to realize Paige could get anyone. Now as for your research…can I just smile? Thank you as always for the review and the PM!

 **Guest4:** Thank you for the review! I'm glad the story is still getting new readers!

 **CaliGrlFoLife/Bebeden12/Xweet338:** Thank you for the PM's!

A/N: I want to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Pretty Little Liars or any of its characters**

Steeling herself for their standard morning breakfast together, Paige closed her eyes briefly before finally pressing the front doorbell. Even though it took merely seconds, the auburn girl swore it was hours before someone answered the door. Somewhat relieved it wasn't a certain brunette, Paige timidly greeted Spencer as she made her way toward the kitchen area with her team in tow.

Paige was dreading having to face Emily one on one. She knew she had no reason to feel guilty for what happened between her and Claire the night before, but it was slowly tearing her up inside. The doe eye girl felt as though she betrayed Emily's trust when she managed to enjoy her night despite initially assuming she wouldn't at all. Her so called date with Claire was surprisingly refreshing. Not only did she manage to get some information from the target about her father, but she was also able to be herself in a way without having to hide who she was. Claire wasn't the person who she thought she would be; the girl was the complete opposite from her father. The auburn girl knew the girl loved her father but also knew she didn't approve of what he's done. If the circumstances were different, Paige had to admit she would've been quite taken with the chic DJ.

But now here she was, waiting to face Emily. After their heated conversation yesterday, Paige knew the girl would probably want to know how the evening went; possibly even details thinking she might clues in finding Aria and her dad. Bracing herself as she sat down at the kitchen island, Paige grabbed the box of cheerios as she normally did before casually glancing around the area to find Emily. Immediately noticing the brunette was the only one missing from the kitchen, Paige scrunched her eyebrows in confusion knowing Emily was the last person that would ever sleep late.

"Where's Em?" Paige tried to ask Hanna nonchalantly as she poured a generous amount of cereal into her bowl.

"She wanted to go out for a run this morning. It looked like she needed to release some energy" Hanna replied as she took a bite of her toast. "She went to sleep at like 4 this morning and got up at 7"

Arching an eyebrow at the information given to her, Paige slowly nodded her head before digging for more information. "Did she go by herself?"

"Oh gosh no. Like you guys would ever allow us to go anywhere by ourselves" Hanna replied rhetorically. "She went with Dana"

Abruptly turning her head at the answer, Paige felt a surge of anger course through her body. "Officer Heath?"

"I think so" Hanna answered confused. "Was she not supposed to ask Officer Heath?"

"She asked Officer Heath to go on a run with her?" Paige asked avoiding Hanna's question.

"What is going on with you?" the blue eye blonde replied as she noted how weird Paige was suddenly acting.

"Nothing" Paige answered as she stood up. "Do you know where they went?"

"Oaks Park?" Hanna responded thinking of her response. "Or something like that"

"Addison Oaks Park?" Paige stated to clarify as she made her way toward the front door.

Confused of the way the auburn girl was acting, Hanna made her way toward the auburn girl as she was leaving. "Yeah. Is something wrong? Is Emily in danger or something?"

"No, no no" Paige lividly shouted as she made her way toward her SUV. "Nothing like that. Tell the team I went to join Em for that run"

* * *

Addison Oaks was a 1,140 acre park known for its bike and hand cycle challenge. Paige knew that fact alone meant Emily and Dana were probably on the east side of the park which was where the running trails were; but that fact was still not useful to the auburn girl. Taking out her phone, Paige pulled up her tracking app before typing in Officer Heath's ID and managed to set a GPS target on the girl given she was on duty. Within seconds, the coordinates of the two popped up; instantly giving Paige the exact location of where they were. Paige didn't wait another second before she started descending down the trail herself to find the pair.

Mentally noting the coordinates, Paige knew the two were about a half an hour away from the starting point therefore increasing her speed; knowing she could catch up within 10 minutes if she went off the trail. And within 10 minutes she did. Despite all the broken branches and un-kept bushes, the auburn girl finally began noticing the two girls when they reached Buhl Lake.

Officer Heath was the last person Paige wanted to take Emily anywhere. Paige witnessed on numerous occasions the side glances and gawks the officer had given the brunette; but was thankful Emily didn't pay any attention to it. Or so she thought. Now running right behind the two, Paige had a clear view of both girls as they were jogging and giggling down the path. However something was off; it was Emily's posture that gave off the vibe something was wrong.

Scrunching her eyebrows in worry, Paige sprinted faster until she was finally in clear shot of the girls; forcing them to stop.

"Officer McCullers?" Officer Heath exclaimed. "Is something wrong? Are the girls okay?" the petite brunette asked out of breath.

Focusing her gaze on the tanned girl beside the officer, Paige placed her hands on her hips as she tried catching her breath. She could easily see Emily trying to avoid all eye contact as the girl's glance was on the floor as she responded. "The girls are fine. Go back to the house. I'll take care of Emily"

"Why don't you go back to the house? I'm in capable hands with Dana" Emily snarled back as she gave Paige a glare.

With a tight lip, Paige could see the darkness under the brunette eyes; it looked as though the girl didn't get any sleep. Swallowing to help the sudden dryness in her throat, the auburn girl focused her attention back at the young officer. "I'm ordering you to go back to the house Officer Heath"

"Yes ma'am" Officer Heath quickly obliged as she turned to give the brunette a sorrowful look before jogging back quietly toward the closest exit of the park.

Emily didn't wait until Dana was fully out of sight before she continued her run; but this time it wasn't just to help reduce excess energy she had. It was now to get away from auburn girl as fast as possible. The last thing Emily needed right now was to face Paige. She didn't want to hear about the girl's date. She didn't want to have to look the girl in the eyes as she heard how intimate their outing was. All she wanted to do was get away from her which is why she decided to go for a run in the first place.

Sighing in frustration as she watched Emily sprint away from her, Paige combed back her hair in hindrance as she began running after her. Immediately realizing what Emily was doing, the auburn girl began calling after her; hoping that would at least slow her down. "Emily, come on!" When Emily refused to give in, Paige watched as the brunette made a hard turn to her right forcing Paige to do the same.

Now off the unbeaten path, both girls were fighting through the branches, weeds and soot as they continued running. "Em just slow down" Paige shouted again. Knowing the brunette had no intention of doing just that, Paige forced herself to run even faster as she finally was in arms reach of the girl; pulling her by the wrist to stop her in her tracks.

"What do you want?" Emily screamed back as she ripped her hand away from Paige. "Aren't you supposed to be out on your next assignment?"

Paige was startled at how angry Emily was. Silent for a moment, the auburn girl didn't know what to say as she just stood quietly in front of the girl thinking of what to say. Realizing how much the date had affected the girl, Paige just tightened her jaw. "Are you okay?" the auburn girl asked sternly.

"Seriously?" Emily angrily asked as she looked at Paige with abhorrence at such a rash question.

"Did you at least get some sleep last night?" Paige tried again.

"Paige, what do you want from me?" Emily asked defeated. "It can't honestly be to ask me if I'm okay after you sprinted across the park for I don't even know how many miles"

Licking her lip at how riled up the brunette was, Paige nodded her head. "It's not like you to just go for a run before breakfast. And I figured you would've known better to do that in such an open area given the circumstances. Officer Heath should've known that too."

"Oh I'm sorry" Emily quickly replied. "I figured your date went so well last night that I didn't have to worry about doing something so public such as jogging out in the open"

"You have no right to be angry at me for doing my job" Paige coldly stated as she placed her hands on hips to steady her sudden anger.

"What if something happened to you last night? What if Claire saw through your bullshit and attacked you?" Emily asked as she looked at the auburn girl intensely.

"Is that the real reason why you're so angry right now?" Paige asked as she watched Emily turn away from her furiously.

"What do you want from me Paige?" Emily pleaded. Clenching her jaw to control her anger, the brunette turned right back around to face the auburn girl. "Do you want me to your best friend and ask how your date went? Do you want me to go into detail and ask you what you wore? And what she wore? Do you want me to ask if she tried to find subtle ways to touch you throughout the night? Or if she laughed at everything you said? Do you want me to ask if she kissed you or maybe go even further last night?" the brunette tearfully asked as stepped closer to Paige.

Watching as small tears formed in the brunette's brown eyes, Paige's anger managed to slowly diminish as she knew those were probably the questions Emily was thinking about all last night. Taking in a deep breath, Paige licked her lips before replying. "Caminiti is in Georgia and sometimes visits here from time to time. The second we heard that, Aiden sent in word back to headquarters to have a team scout out the area"

"How was the date Paige?" Emily begged as she knew Paige would try to ignore any intimate questions.

"It was fine. We went ziplining and had some drinks" Paige admitted.

Emily knew she should be thrilled to find out new facts about where the team stood with Caminiti, but right now she didn't care about those details; all she cared about was trying to fix that pulsating throb she had coursing through her body. "Did you kiss her?"

Besides being physically trained to be out in the field, Special Ops officers were also mentally trained to undergo any type of operation that was thrown their way. Using everything she had learned, Paige needed to keep a straight face despite feeling broken inside. "Yes I did"

"Right" the brunette miserably nodded as she felt the lump in her throat thickened as a tear fell from her eye.

Witnessing Emily try to dry her eyes without her noticing, Paige knew her standing there was doing no good. "We should head back to the house"

Frozen in step at the suggestion Paige just made, Emily became furious at how unfeeling the girl seemed to be. "Really?" Emily furiously asked. "I'm standing in front of you with 2 hours of sleep, crying my eyes out. And all you have to say is you want to go back to the house?"

"What would you like me to say Em?" Paige honestly Em. "I mean a few years ago the situation was reversed wasn't it?" Paige confidently began. "I begged you not to date Alison yet you did. I told you how she used to make me feel but you didn't care. And now I'm here trying to do my job and you're mad at me for kissing the girl?"

"I'm mad at you for making me feel this way" the brunette shouted out. "I'm mad at you for still kissing her despite us talking about it just yesterday"

Nodding her head as she understood what Emily was feeling; Paige swallowed hard before looking up the clear blue sky. "That feeling you have right now; the feeling of agony and betrayal, it hurts doesn't it? Questioning what's going through my mind and angry that I might even like someone like Claire. Wanting the feeling of pain coursing through your body to just leave. And knowing the only person that could make that pain go away is me" Paige stated as she held the brunette's teary eyed gaze. Taking a step forward as she saw how hesitant Emily suddenly became, Paige refused to stop there. "You felt that for what…2 days? Imagine feeling like that for months. So now if you please, we need to start heading back. I need to prepare for my next assignment"

* * *

 *****8 Years Ago*****

"So, Mr. Angulo is really as dull as he looks huh?" a serene voice from behind Emily asked as the brunette stood up to put her books away.

Turning around swiftly to see herself staring into the same blue eyes that's been causing all her mid-day hallucinations, Emily swallowed to gain her composure before putting on a cool front. "What are you talking about? This is his fun side. Wait till finals. You'll have a completely different opinion" she sarcastically stated as she gave Alison a smirk.

"A sense of humor, I like that" the blonde bombshell replied before returning a smile. Extending her hand, Alison greeted herself. "Alison Dilaurentis. I uh, was the girl that was a bit hostile during PE".

"I saw it as friendly competition" the brunette replied taking her hand. "Emily. Emily Fields"

"It was definitely friendly" Alison quietly stated as the girls couldn't seem to look away from each other. The sudden movement of a few students entering the room caught the girls by surprise; forcing them to break eye contact. "You have Ms. Jordan now right? Care if I join?"

Holding her books tighter to her chest, Emily arched an eyebrow. "Of course not" she eagerly replied. "So how do you like it around Rosewood so far?"

"Well I found a reason to go to class every day since the first day I stepped foot into PE" Alison flirtatiously answered as she gave Emily a quick glance before making her way out of the classroom and toward the lockers. "So I would say I like it a lot so far. You're pretty good at volleyball"

"I think it's just the jock in me" Emily replied with a smile as she opened her locker door to place her math textbook in before taking out her history textbook.

"Oh yeah? What do you play?" Alison asked immediately intrigued.

"I swim" Emily stated as she closed her locker door. "I absolutely love it. The freedom of just being in the water. There's nothing like it" she continued easily showing how much she loved the activity by the way her face lit up at just the mention of it.

Giving the brunette one of her classic smiles, Alison smoothly grazed her eyes down the brunette's body before replying. "I should have guessed. You definitely have a swimmers body"

"I wasn't always like this though. My friend actually convinced me to try out for the team" the tanned beauty stated. Emily wasn't sure why she somehow thought of Paige in that moment, but her mind just involuntarily drifted over to auburn girl. Maybe it was because she was passing their old English classroom where the two of them shared so many memories such as staying up till 3am trying to write an old journal as their midterm project or trying to reenact one of Shakespeare old plays.

"Girlfriend?" Alison asked breaking the brunette out of her daze.

"No, my good friend Paige" Emily replied with a kind smile.

"Right Paige McCullers" the blue eye girl nodded knowing full well who the brunette was talking about. "I've seen her around you a lot. If I didn't know any better I would have sworn you two were together, or at least she wants to be" the girl stated trying to pry some information from the brunette.

"What? No way" Emily exclaimed. "Paige and I just really close. She would never see me as someone to date"

"What about you?" Alison asked curiously at Emily's last statement.

"What about me?" the brunette retorted confused.

"Would you see her as someone you would want to date?" Alison bluntly asked.

Surprised at such a question, Emily immediately replied "no". But something in the brunette suddenly made her uncomfortable about the question; as though she was in denial. "I don't know. I never really thought about it"

"Why not?" Alison asked again curiously.

"I don't know" Emily shrugged. "She and I…just fit. We always did. No matter what, we're just therefore each other. But I never thought about her romantically"

"So you're just friends?" Alison directly asked again.

"Yes" Emily firmly answered.

"So she wouldn't attack me if I try asking you out then?" the blond beauty flirtatiously asked as she held their classroom door open.

Nodding her head sternly knowing Paige would never do such a thing, Emily answered. "She would never"

"I wouldn't be too shocked if she did" Alison stated nonchalantly. "I mean, I would be pretty jealous of anyone trying to hit on you"

* * *

Watching the brunette curiously, Paige furrowed her eyebrows as Emily twirled in front of the mirror sporting gigantic smile across her lips. "What's with you?"

"What are you talking about?" Emily asked keeping her focus on the mirror in front of her as she tried pulling down the pleated yellow dress she was wearing to cover a bit more skin.

"You keep blushing every time you look in mirror" Paige pointed. "Please tell me you're not turning yourself on" the auburn continued as she flipped to the next page of the Times magazine she was reading.

"I am not!" the brunette exclaimed as turned to glance at Paige before looking back to the mirror. "I just really want to find a nice dress"

Arching an eyebrow, Paige knew there was another reason to why Emily was so excited to getting a dress today. "Right. Unlike those ugly dresses you tend to pick out"

"Paige. Why can't I take my time in finding something?" Emily asked slightly annoyed at the auburn girl's tone.

"You seem to have several meanings for the word 'time' Em" Paige stated as she unfolded her legs on the chair she was sitting on to stare at the brunette. "You kind of sprung today's shopping spree on me but now you want to take your time?"

"First off, I didn't spring it" Emily firmly responded. "I just asked. I like your opinion. And second, I'm not just going to buy the first thing I see"

"So why can't we do this Saturday like we normally do again?" Paige asked curiously.

"If you want to go, then go. I'll find a dress myself" the brunette retorted as she made her way back into the dressing room to change into the next dress she picked out.

"No need to get angry, it was just a question" Paige stated as she raised her voice a little so the brunette could hear her. "What's going on with you?"

"I just want to look nice okay?" Emily replied.

"Ok" Paige accepted. "But Em, you know you always look amazing right? You don't need to buy a dress to prove anything"

"Sometimes we buy things to make ourselves feel even better" the tanned girl replied as she made her way out of the dressing with her next dress.

Completely in awe of the high low cutout yellow dress Emily came out in, Paige was speechless. She couldn't help her eyes from dragging from the brunette's long legs, up her toned stomach and up her lean neck before breaking herself off of her daze. "Ok, ok. Do you maybe want to check out a different color?" Paige was praying the brunette didn't like the dress so no one would be able to see how amazing she looked. "Maybe you'll have better luck with violet or turquoise"

"I just…really want to find a yellow dress" Emily exasperatedly explained as she combed her hair back in annoyance.

That was the moment it finally clicked for Paige. Why Emily was so set on buying a yellow dress. Why she needed it immediately. Why she wasn't satisfied with just anything. Walking a bit closer to the brunette, Paige needed to confirm her suspicion. "It's for Alison isn't it?"

The sudden tension between the girls aroused quicker than either girl knew. They never discussed Alison before, but both girls knew it was a topic they couldn't discuss with each other for some reason. "She asked me out today" Emily replied quietly. "I just want to make sure I leave a good impression. I'm not going to have time tomorrow"

Swallowing as Paige felt her throat constrict, the auburn girl nodded as she looked down. "Your dad's coming back right?"

"Yeah" Emily answered as she looked at Paige in the mirror. "And Thursday is the date. So can you just help me?"

"This Thursday?" Paige asked disappointed. Watching how dedicated the brunette was to finding the perfect dress, Paige realized how right Alison was about her and Emily; girls like them belonged together. "Yeah Em, of course I'll help you. You really like her don't you?"

"I do" Emily nodded as she walked passed the auburn girl and back into the fitting room. "You know she said you would attack her if she tried asking me out?"

"Why would she say that?" Paige asked furiously.

"You tell me" Emily retorted back.

Thinking of the best way to respond to the brunette, Paige knew she had to be honest. "I don't trust her"

"How can you say that? You don't even know her" Emily asked as she made her way out of the fitting room in her next piece.

"She just seems cocky" Paige stated as she tried figuring out a way to steer Emily in the right direction of what type of person Alison was.

"Have you tried talking to her?" the brunette asked as she kept her focus on the mirror.

"Yes, and she seems cocky" Paige repeated.

Turning to face the girl, Emily responded. "When did you guys talk?"

"Last week when it was raining. She decided to give me a ride home" Paige half honestly.

"And that sounds like she was doing you a favor. What did she say that made her sound cocky?" Emily asked as she kept her focus on Paige trying to figure why the girl didn't like Alison.

"She just seemed to know you two would end up together without having to impress you" Paige answered.

"She just sounds determined" Emily responded coming to Alison's defense. "She has nothing to gain by being mean"

"Uh well she likes you" Paige replied. "That's all the reason you need"

Folding her arms protectively around herself, Emily scrunched her eyebrows; curious to why Paige seemed so defensive. Thinking back to the question Alison asked, Emily swallowed wanting to know the truth. "Do you…like me?" she stuttered out.

"What?" Paige asked surprised.

"Do you?" Emily repeated.

"Let me guess, Alison said that" Paige replied as she rolled her eyes.

"That's not answering the question" Emily asked calmly.

"No, I don't like you like that" Paige lied. "Why can't I just be concerned for you? When did you start taking someone else's side you barely know over me?"

"I'm not taking anyone else's side" Emily protectively replied.

"You are" Paige shouted. "You're already becoming defensive about my opinion of that girl. When someone describes me as "girls like you" I tend to have a negative opinion of them" the auburn girl replied as she turned to put her magazine away.

Surprised at such a statement, Emily nodded her head. "She said that? I'm sure she didn't mean it the way it came out"

"Seriously?" Paige asked disgustedly as she turned to glare at the girl.

"What?" Emily asked naively.

Nodding at how guilelessly the brunette was being over a girl, Paige threw her backpack over her shoulders before responding. "I'm going to go"

"Paige" was all Emily was able to get out as Paige made her way toward the exit; leaving the brunette feeling guilty for defending a girl she hardly knew.

* * *

 *****Present Day*****

Gripping Claire's waist with her left hand, Paige gently placed a kiss on the woman's right cheek before gliding her right hand down the dirty blonde's triceps. Reaching her elbow, Paige broke contact to look into Claire's deep blue eyes as she intertwined their hands. Giving the girl a quick wink, Paige began walking backwards down the DJ booth and back into the crowd; still holding eye contact. With the show about to begin, Paige knew Claire was going to be busy mixing on the sound system; giving the auburn girl the opportunity to help scan the crowd for any sign of Caminiti's men. The team was hoping Caminiti kept guards around his daughter to make sure none of his enemy's got to her.

Starting of slow, Paige watched as the crowd began swaying to the first few lyrics while the auburn girl began noticing two laser beams begin to skim over the Ambassador Bridge.

 _Lately, I've been, I've been losing sleep_

 _Dreaming about the things that we could be_

 _But baby, I've been, I've been praying hard,_

 _Said, no more counting dollars,_

 _We'll be counting stars stars Stars STArs STARS_

Just as the beat dropped, two bright lights shot up in the sky behind the DJ booth and bursted into two large willow fireworks sending the crowd into a massive frenzy. As several other comet fireworks discharged into the night sky, Paige knew the firework show wasn't going to end anytime soon. Maneuvering deeper into crowd, the auburn girl scanned the crowd as she managed to focus on one object in particular. Squinting her eyes a bit more, Paige drifted her eyes up the woman's long legs as she mentally noted how perfect they looked in the black jeggings the patron was wearing. Paige continued traveling her eyes upward toward the mystery woman's large black hoodie. Even with the article of clothing being at least 3 sizes too large for the fan, Paige could easily tell the woman was fit by how the fabric clinged around her body since she placed her hands within the hoodie's pockets. Clenching her jaw tighter, Paige's eyes widen as her eyes wandered toward the woman's long wavy highlighted hair.

Paige immediately knew who the mysterious woman was even with the girl trying to conceal her identity under a black Wolverine's cap. Swiftly making her way toward the brunette, Paige drifted her eyes back to the DJ booth to make sure Claire was still occupied before embedding herself right behind the bronze beauty.

"Are you trying to get my cover blown?" Paige managed to whisper loud enough for Emily to hear.

Startled at first, the sudden contact of the auburn girl's warm breath on her right ear made Emily jump back enough to fit perfectly into Paige's form. Letting out a gasp by the unexpected position she found them in, Emily could feel shivers rush throughout her body as she felt Paige's left hand grip onto her waist to hold her steady. Working up every ounce of courage she had in her, Emily swallowed as she continued focusing on the fireworks before her. "I figured you could use an extra pair of eyes tonight"

Taking in a deep breath to control her anger at how irrational Emily's action was; Paige found herself surrounded by the brunette's sweet freesia and red plum signature that always made the auburn girl weak in the knees. Focusing her eyes on the fireworks as well, Paige forced herself to speak up. "You know we have enough eyes on the target right now"

"You don't have anyone in the crowd" Emily casually stated as she nestled deeper into Paige's form.

Loosening her grip from Emily's waist and steering it to fit perfectly around the brunette, a sense of comfort seemed to dawn on the pair as they somehow felt safe within each other's company even though they were surrounded by potential danger. "Em I can't have you out on the field especially if I'm undercover" Paige truthfully stated.

"Why? Isn't this why we were trained?" the brunette asked as she relinquished in the feel of Paige's body heat.

"You were trained for the sake of knowing how to defend yourself, not to be a field officer. Plus 4 days of training is hardly anything." Paige sternly replied back. "My team is surrounding this area. I don't need another distraction"

"I'm a distraction?" Emily asked as she turned to face the auburn girl straight in the eyes.

Feeling Emily about to withdraw from her grasp, Paige tightened her hold around the girl as she slipped her right arm into the brunette's hoodie pocket; forcing Emily to stay put. "I don't want to see you get hurt. Is that so hard to believe?"

Physically shivering at Paige's statement, Emily quietly nestled back into Paige's hold. "Well you're too late for that"

Licking her bottom lip to prevent the guilt she was suddenly feeling show, the auburn girl turned her head just enough to feel the brunette's warm skin against her cheek. "Em, please-"

"Your date seems to be going well" Emily blurted out before she lost her nerves. Feeling Paige clench her jaw, she continued. "She couldn't take her eyes off of you before. And that kiss seemed to have left her breathless. You're really good at your job."

Raising her right eyebrow at how watchful Emily seemed to be, Paige couldn't help but smile a bit. "You noticed?"

"I'm pretty positive everyone noticed. I could basically smell how turned on she is from over here" Emily bluntly stated.

Seemingly oblivious to the way Emily was feeling, Paige responded back "You seem a bit upset."

"Just observant" the bitter brunette replied. "I didn't realize fucking was part of your job description"

"I'll do what's necessary to get the job done" Paige simply answered. Feeling Emily cringe at her response, Paige knew the girl was floored. "I didn't fuck anyone for the sake of my job" the auburn simply stated as she held Emily closer to her. Feeling Emily relax, she continued. "I didn't fuck Claire. I don't plan on fucking her either. She could play a huge part in figuring out where Aria is"

"I know" Emily whispered.

"Good. So I need you to go back to base and let us do our job" Paige calmly stated as she noticed the fireworks coming to an end. Turning the girl slightly, Paige was able to lightly brush her lips across Emily's cheeks. "Just trust me"

With that, Paige reluctantly released the brunette as she made her way back toward the DJ booth; leaving a breathless Emily craving for the warmth of Paige McCullers once again.


	15. Chapter 15

**DarkBlueMint:** I think Alison tends to blind Emily a bit from who she really is. And since Em could be a bit gullible when it comes to her, she got confused of everything.

 **Naiel2017:** Paily is everything! Even I want them to get together already! But I can promise it'll be soon!

 **Guest1:** Well thank you for that! Thank you for reviewing!

 **EmGarretson22:** I hope you don't hate me for too long! I'm not sure how you'd like how I planned the rest of the story…but you will definitely see a part of Emily's POV. Just as a little nudge…there was a little connection between chapter 5 and chapter 14.

 **Siophiefandom:** I completely agree with you! Alison and Claire are two completely different people. But the jealousy factor is still there. She won't be sulking for that much longer though.

 **Sofiadc66:** Wow! I mean I know I messaged you thank you, but just looking at your comments again…just wow! Thank you so much again for all the reviews and amazing words. I hope you like the next chapter!

 **Pailyshark:** I love the feels! And I need to share it with you all, it's only fair. There's a lot that needs to be said on both ends. But at least they're moving toward the right direction.

 **Thecatfromaliceinwonderland:** You said it perfectly! You can't help who you're attracted too. And what makes it worse is not knowing that they act differently depending on who they're talking too. You can say you feel sorry for Claire. I do too! But it was kinda necessary for Emily to get all riled up. Hahaha, you'll see! I promise I'll message you back shortly. The holidays are just crazy right now.

 **Xweet338** : Thank you for the PM!

 **A/N:** Hope everyone had a fantastic NYE and I want to wish everyone a Happy New Year!

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Pretty Little Liars or any of its characters**

There was a certain chill in the air tonight and it wasn't because the temperature; Paige knew that. Letting out a light breath, the auburn girl placed her right hand on her stomach to calm her nerves as she walked up the stairs toward the Willard InterContinental grand ballroom. As she approached the top stair, Paige stood still as she looked at the large golden double arched doors. Feeling a sense of nervousness take over, the brown eye officer knew she should be proud. Tonight was about her and her team. When they received word earlier in the week that they would be receiving top honors for resolving the Wilson's case last year, the entire team was complete shock at their new ranking.

The Wilson's case was possibly one of the most disturbing cases the team or anyone within their department had to face head on. Dealing with drug trafficking as well as human trafficking, the team was left in an emotional turmoil. Witnessing the extreme environments children and women had to live through as they were smuggled across the border left the group completely reserved. They couldn't find their own voice to talk to one another, but managed to physically support each other through the case. Managing to not only save Wilson, the 7 year old boy from Guatemala who was promised a loving life in the states, the team managed to save over 3 dozen victims as well as open up several other investigations around the world. It was something they were more than just proud about. It was something their peers respected them for.

Tonight they were going to receive recognition for the heroes they were and will always be. The team ran into warehouses blindly with only their weapons, tactics and each other to count on. They went in undercover as victims themselves as well as acting criminals to bring everyone they could get their hands on arrested. It took its toll on the group, but with the reliance on each other and the department; they managed to get through it and became closer because of it.

Taking in yet another breath as the tall doors gradually opened before her, Paige felt an arm wrap around her right arm as a dazzling smile from the redhead came into view.

"Are you ready?" the petite woman asked as she observed Paige's hesitancy.

"A bit nervous, but yeah I guess" Paige honestly responded back.

Smiling a bit to give the auburn girl a bit of courage, the red-head continued. "Tonight is about you guys. Enjoy it. I know you would never think of yourself as a hero. But you are. You all are. You have changed so many people's lives for the better. This is just a token of what you deserve"

"How are you supposed to enjoy getting recognition for being human? Any person would have done the same exact thing to save those people if they saw the state they were in" Paige replied.

Nodding in agreement, the green eyed girl understood. "But it was you. You and your team were the ones that saved all those people and countless of others with those cases you opened. No one can imagine the extreme lengths you had to go through, especially on an emotional level"

"I know" Paige quietly responded. "Let's just get this over with"

Finally walking through the doors, the pair gradually made their way over to the roundtable holding the rest of team and their dates as the room continued to fill with hundreds of officers ready to congratulate them. Taking her seat as she gave her team a wide smile, Paige took in the surrounding environment; instantly being engulfed by a sudden sense of honor.

The split level ballroom was drenched with an antique feel. From the hanging chandeliers, to the oak wooden flooring, to the unique ceiling crowns and the indented walls; it felt as though they were in the middle of a fairytale. As the team sat by the stage, they took in the evening as it slowly progressed.

Listening to the key note speakers as they praised the group, Paige couldn't help but think back to the girls. She knew she had been keeping this evening a secret for their own safety. If it was even mentioned to them, Paige knew the girls would stop at nothing to come join them this evening; but she couldn't risk it. Paige needed to make sure someone was keeping an eye on them at all time. Yes, the evening was full of special ops officers which would be the ideal location for protection; but Paige knew she'd be constantly distracted when it came to a certain brunette. Instead of listening to the commanding officers speak she'd be focused on the proximity of Emily Fields.

* * *

Concern was just one emotion Emily was feeling. She knew the moment Paige decided to show up a bit early for her daily visit something was up; but she couldn't put her finger on it. Then the minute she noticed three new black Lincoln MKZ cars appear in her front driveway, it only confirmed the team was up to something. Maybe the team had another task tonight. But during those tasks, officers the girls had become accustomed to would watch over them. Something different was going on and Emily was more than determined to get to the bottom of it. Thinking to herself maybe the team was able to take a day off to just relax, the brunette felt her throat constrict. It was possible this was how Paige really felt about her now. The second Paige was given a chance to just have fun, the girl wouldn't think twice about her; she was really just a job to her.

Refusing to allow any of her tears to fall, Emily needed to confirm her suspicions.

"Em, where are you going?" Spencer asked as she turned away from the T.V just in time to see the brunette make her way toward the front the door.

"I'm going to find out a little more of our new babysitters" Emily answered firmly.

Furrowing her eyebrows at the response, Spencer stood up as she made her way toward the brunette. "Uh, Em. It's their job. The team was probably given a new assignment or something to do tonight"

"Then officers Heath and McKinley would be out in those SUVs, but they're not" Emily sternly replied as she opened the door to make her way outside toward one of the cars.

Quickly running behind the brunette, Hanna and Spencer were taken aback by Emily's sudden behavior. Watching as the driver of the first car rolled down his windows, both girls moved even faster to try to catch up the irritated brunette.

"Hi there!" Emily greeted happily; surprising both girls behind her at her sudden behavior. "I couldn't help but noticed I never seen you here before"

"Yes ma'am" the blue eye man responded. "I'm new to the task at hand"

Clenching her jaw to keep herself from responding harshly at being called a 'task', Emily continued. "Well welcome. I'm Emily. This is Spencer and this is Hanna" she pointed to both girls respectively. "And you are?"

"Officer Williams" he replied a little flustered.

That's all Emily needed to see before she knew she had a handle over the situation. Walking a little closer to the officer she repeated his response. "Officer Williams?"

"Mark" the medium built officer replied. "My-yy name is Mark" he stuttered.

"Nice to meet you Mark" Emily smiled. "Do you want to come in? We just bought some dinner. We'll be happy to share"

"No thank you ma'am, I should-" the officer began before Emily interrupted him.

"Ma'am?" the brunette flirtatiously replied.

"Emily" the raven hair man stuttered out as though just saying the girl's name was driving him crazy.

"Look, the team might be coming back in an hour or so. In the meantime, why don't you just join us?" Emily asked slyly.

Blushing a little to himself at the invitation, the officer knew he had to stay out despite wanting nothing else but to get to know the brunette a little more. Drifting his eyes down the brunette's luscious body that was obvious through the white high low summer dress she was wearing, the officer gulped at how stunning she looked. "I would love to, but right now I need to stay out here. The team will probably not be back until tomorrow afternoon since the award ceremony is going to last till the morning hours if you count the celebration afterwards. Plus it's all the way downtown"

"Award ceremony?" Spencer soon chimed in as the term caught her attention.

"Yes" the officer answered enthusiastically. "They're receiving top honors for one of their cases. They honestly deserve it after everything they've been through"

Emily felt her chest tightened as she realized Paige couldn't even be honest about something so simple as an award ceremony. How are they ever going to get to same place they once were? "Thanks Mark. We completely understand" Emily mumbled out as she tried pulling Spencer with her.

The slim brunette was confused to why Emily was pulling her away now when they were finally getting somewhere with the young officer. When they were far enough from ear shot from the officer, Spencer broke her silence. "What are you doing? We were finally getting somewhere with that guy"

"Yeah, close enough to him wanting to basically rip this one's clothes off" Hanna responded as she tilted her head toward Emily.

"We have what we need" Emily firmly stated as she made her way into the house. "We just need to figure out where the ceremony is taking place downtown"

"And how do you suppose we do that?" Hanna asked as she closed the door behind her. "And why are we even doing that? The team is allowed to take a day off without us"

"To support them" Emily answered being half honest as she grabbed her laptop and quickly pulled up a map. She wanted to see Paige outside this case. She needed to see Paige be herself. "I think I got it. The Homestead" the brunette stated as she pointed to the screen on their laptop. "It's the only venue big enough in the downtown area to hold a group of people plus it's booked tonight" the brunette responded as she made her way upstairs.

"Well look at you Nancy Drew" Spencer stated sarcastically as she watched the brunette make her way up the stairs. "But the front door is down here"

"Yeah, where the officers are all standing guard" Emily stated. "There's a tree right alongside my room window. We could use that and Uber our ways to the ceremony. I don't there's any transit that goes there"

"When did you become so determined?" Spencer asked impressed.

"When I realized what I want is out there" Emily replied as she gave a quick glance over to the brunette before opening her bedroom window.

* * *

The girls managed to make their way toward the venue within 3 hours. Completely in awe at the large vicinity before them, Spencer knew there was no way they could just walk into the venue especially since they weren't even dressed for the occasion. "Let's try to get in through the back. Maybe we could sneak in from one of the service entries. It's a hotel after all right?"

As they made their way to the back entrance of the hotel, the girls soon noticed a few other pedestrians of the hotel were entering and exiting as they pleased. Giving each other a quick glance, they all knew what they had to do. Beginning to act as though they were having a girl's night out, they began laughing and holding each; slowly making their way toward the lobby of the hotel completely unnoticeable. Impressed by their own acting skills, the girls felt as though they were in the clear until they spotted a metal detector section. Taking in a deep breath, the three placed their acting masks back on before continuing their façade of being guests in the building. Given they had no other item on themselves besides a small wristlet, they were able to pass security fairly quickly before heading to the elevator bank. Pretending as though they were going to take the elevator as they made their way up to the second floor, the girls noticed an entrance to the ceremony which they could easily slip into. Stooping down to make sure no one would see them; the three kneeled down by the railings and peered through them to see if they could spot the team.

"There they are" Hanna pointed out as the two other girls followed the direction she was pointing in.

Emily felt her breath hitch when she caught sight of the auburn girl; she looked absolutely breathtaking. Trailing her eyes from the auburn girl's luscious wavy hair that was styled to the right, to the barely there make-up which only enhanced her flawless features, down over to her golden tassel earrings, to her simple yet elegant dark gray micro faux suit jacket with a black deep v-neck blouse that managed to show off her perfectly sculpted arms along with her matching slim faux suit pants which showed off her toned legs; Emily continued her gaze down to the girl's five inch golden peep toe shoes.

The brunette had to tighten her jaw at the sight of the auburn girl to prevent herself from gasping too loudly. Arching an eyebrow as she was at a loss for words, the sudden appearance of a certain red-head smoothing her hand over Paige's lower back immediately brought a scowl to her face. So Paige did have a girlfriend.

As the lights dimmed, Emily shifted her gaze over to the stage for a few minutes before drifting them back toward the auburn girl. Sitting quietly with the other girls on the balcony's floor gave them a perfect view for learning about the team they knew so little about without being caught.

Commanders none of the girls knew about spoke on behalf of the team; praising them for their job on the last case. Parting her lips at listening to the gruesome details they had to face, Emily had to wipe a tear that slowly fell from her right eye. She never expected Paige would ever have to encounter something like that. Listening to the details of Paige having to go undercover as a victim herself, Emily wanted to run over to her to shield her from everything and everyone. The idea of someone laying their hands on her as she couldn't fight back made the brunette's stomach churn. Thankfully, the commander speaking knew when to stop giving the details and continue with the outcome of the task. They managed to save 46 victims and countless of others with the other cases they managed to open around the world. Emily couldn't be more proud.

After about an hour after the speeches began, the lights were shut off completely as a large screen descended from the ceiling onto the stage. The sudden image of a young Aiden appeared on the screen; showing a clip of a video back in his college days. The girls couldn't help but smile at how young the team looked prior to them joining the team. It was a video collage of the entire team and how they came to be.

Watching thoroughly as each member was shown where they were before joining the force, to training, to studying and finally to the event that gave them the ticket to be a part of the special ops team before taking the stage to accept their award, Emily took in deep breath when the one person she was waiting for finally appeared before her.

With her eyes full of tears, the brunette couldn't look anywhere else then at the young Paige McCullers on the screen. It must have been just a couple of months after leaving Rosewood since the girl was still sporting her sharp bangs and bob haircut along with her large black spectacles. Emily couldn't help but smile as she watched the girl be engulfed by the textbooks in front her. Whoever was videotaping her was obviously a friend since Paige kept trying to block the camera before pouting every time she failed.

The next clip was probably taken a few months later since Paige's hair was a bit longer as her bangs blended in with the rest of her hair and she was no longer wearing her glasses. The clip itself seemed to be taken professionally as the sudden appearance of ABC 7 News appeared at the bottom right hand of the screen. Emily knew it was the event where Paige saved the students from the chem lab. It was obvious Paige didn't save them yet given the fact that she was standing in front of the building watching as people ran out. Then it happened; as though it was a superhero movie. You could see the hesitation in Paige's facial expression at first before she ran passed a few fire fighters and made her way into the building. The video quickly flashed to the security cameras inside the chemistry lab as you could clearly see Paige protecting the students with a fire blanket as she used her familiarity with chemicals to blast through the wall. The video then flashed back to the cameras outside as it focused to the explosion right above them as the image of Paige climbing down from one of the windows with the other students followed right behind her. _This girl was amazing_.

Tears continued forming in the brunette's eyes as she continued watching. The next clip to appear had to be the first time the auburn girl stepped in a training room as she grabbed one of the throwing knives and studied it carefully. By the way Paige was holding the weapon; it was known she was unfamiliar with it. Staring at the target 50 feet in front of her, Paige threw it with all her energy, but it only managed to get 30 feet from her before hitting the ground and sliding away from her. That was the Paige Emily remembered as she drifted her eyes toward the auburn girl watching her own video and laughing alongside her team.

Feeling a sense of jealousy take over, the brunette felt dejected knowing she missed so many years of Paige's life. The next few clips were set up as a collage as it pieced together several months of the brown eye beauty practicing nonstop in the training room; only getting better with time. The final clip shown was one from the last assignment. Paige had been fighting several gunmen as one of the victims; a 9 year old girl somehow got pushed in the middle of the gunfire. The brown eye girl didn't hesitate before throwing her own body over the young brunette as she became the girl's human shield. While the gun fire continued all around them, Paige tried her best to continue fighting back; only to be shot at right in the abdomen as her team managed to get the upper hand against the criminals.

Emily watched in horror as Dylan dragged Paige's body to safety as the auburn girl got to her feet indicating she was fine; showing the bullets had hit her vest preventing any serious damage. Paige's main concern was making sure the little girl was safe. After directing the girl to safety, the two continued on with helping the team.

This was Paige's life. This is what she has to go through every day. Emily didn't know if she should be impressed or fearful. Those moment showed on that small clip were all the moments Emily couldn't be there for her; all the moments she missed.

As the lights went back up, the entire room got to their feet when Paige made her way to the stage. Collecting her award as a gigantic grin was displayed across her lips, Paige had to force herself to hold back her tears. 10 years ago, she would have never expected to be where she was today; and she loved it. While descending from the stage, Paige took a look around her to take everything in. This was for her. This was for her team.

The team was too excited to stay still as the pounced on Paige as she made her way back to the table. Grouping together to take a picture with their awards, the girls had to admit it was the first time they've seen them in such a relaxed moment. They were having fun. They were laughing and smiling. Something they were not use to seeing from the team.

Emily kept her focus on the same auburn girl as she gathered with her friends. Right there, in that moment she couldn't hold back her tears. She watched as Paige smiled. She watched her laugh. She watched as she hugged everyone as though they just won a championship. Every movement Paige was making, Emily mentally took a snapshot of.

What made Emily immediately stop crying was the last snapshot she took. The snapshot of Paige's right arm snaking around the red-heads waist who was within the girl's personal space as Paige dipped her head in the crook of her neck to make her laugh. Emily could feel her heart pounding as her ears seared with rage. _I should have known_.

* * *

 *****8 Years Ago*****

Gathering her books from her desk, Emily looked up just in time to see Paige trying to scurry out of class. Remorseful of the way they ended things just a day ago, Emily knew she had to mend things with the girl. Even though it was merely hours, the brunette knew Paige had been dodging any real conversation with her. Sure the girl texted back, but it was obvious she wasn't in the mood to have an in-depth conversation. Paige was smart; she kept everything short and sweet for the sake of not making her emotions obvious. Thinking back, Emily realized this had to be the first time where Paige was shutting her out.

Quickly running after the girl, Emily made it passed the classroom door before calling out. "Hey" she yelled out before dodging the other students roaming the hallway. "Hey wait up" she yelled again. Finally catching with the auburn girl, Emily grabbed Paige's forearm before physically forcing her stop. "Please stop?"

"What?" Paige asked confused as Emily stood in front of her to block the exit from school. Realizing Emily probably figure out her semi-cold shoulder, the auburn girl walked passed her before responding. "I need to head home"

Emily refused to allow Paige to walk away so easily without even trying. She couldn't end their conversation just yet. Combing back her hair with her fingers to try to find the right words, Emily stayed on her ground "Can we just talk about yesterday?"

"What is there to talk about?" Paige asked frustratingly as she turned around to face the brunette.

"This attitude you have going on. Can we just talk?" Emily asked hopefully.

After her conversation with Alison and trying her best to convince Emily not to go on a date with the blonde, Paige needed some time to think. She needed to time to figure out what everything meant. She didn't know what her feelings meant. She didn't know how Emily was feeling. She didn't even want to know. Right now, she wanted to just leave. "I need to go"

"Please" Emily stated as she walked closer to auburn girl. "You've been giving me this silent treatment for a day now and that's just something we never did to each other"

"I've spoken to you" Paige retorted.

"Yeah, for the sake of responding. It's obvious you know. Your tone. Your stance. You actually reciprocating a real response" Emily continued pointing out. "So can we just talk? Tell me what's going on with you"

"I'm just thinking about stuff" Paige coldly stated as she began walking out the exit of their high school.

"What stuff?" Emily asked as she followed the girl toward the parking lot.

"Just stop okay" Paige quietly asked as she turned around to face the brunette with a slight glaze in her eyes. "I just need to figure out some stuff on my own"

"Paige, I've known you for how many years now? I know you better then I know myself" the tanned beauty began. "I know this date with Alison is bothering you. But I think there's other things too and I just really want to help"

Paige knew she had to talk to Emily especially after her second run in with Alison. She had to try to explain what she was feeling but couldn't contemplate the words. After walking home in the rain, Paige couldn't find it in herself to talk to Emily about her new crush. Paige didn't want her own feelings over the blue eye bombshell to conflict with Emily's. She was confused of what she had to do. "You can't" the auburn girl honestly mumbled before walking to her car again.

"I can try" Emily stated as she refused to let Paige go.

"You can't" Paige repeated as she opened the back door of her blue Ford Focus.

Holding her books closer to her chest as she began realizing Paige wasn't going to open up to her, Emily felt small tears forming in her eyes. It broke her to see Paige dismissing her. This was after all the first time she's ever felt like this about another girl and knew it was probably hurting Paige. She needed the girl to know just because it was a possibility Alison was going to be in her life; it wasn't going to ruin their relationship. Looking down at her feet, she decided to give it one last effort. "Walk with me. Please"

"Em, it's going to rain any minute. Plus your dad is coming home." Paige stated as she tilted her head toward the brunette.

"Well to your first point, we do have this thing called an umbrella" Emily retorted as she held up her black tote umbrella. "And to your second, my dad's flight was delayed till tonight. So please, walk with me" she pressed as she took a step forward

"Em-" the auburn girl began before being interrupted.

"Please" Emily begged. "Can we just go somewhere and hangout with no one else?"

Feeling guilty of her own actions, Paige took in a deep breath before closing the driver side the door and making her way toward the brunette. Maybe she could open up about what she was feeling. "Where do you want to go?"

"Rosemont Park. It's scenic" Emily responded enthusiastically before linking her right arm with Paige.

"You need to get out more" Paige drearily responded but obliged.

* * *

"So" Emily began as she continued holding Paige's right arm as they made their way around the large park. She didn't know how to pursue the conversation, but felt as though she needed to try. "Is there anything I could help you with trying to figure things out?"

Thinking for a moment of how she would answer the brunette, Paige knew Emily didn't deserve her silent treatment. She can't help who she wants to be with. "Have you ever thought about your future? After high school?"

"As in college?" Emily asked as she felt elated to get something out of the girl.

"Everything. College. Working. Traveling" Paige began. "Love" she mumbled.

"Love?" the brunette asked with a smile as she turned to face the brown eye girl just as Paige did a slight head dip.

"Well not just you know…falling in love" Paige started to backtrack. She should have known that's what Emily would've picked up on. "But everything. How our lives will be different in just a few months. Or where we'd be"

"Where do you want to be?" Emily asked.

"I don't know. I honestly never thought about leaving Rosewood before. It's my home" the auburn girl quietly answered.

Nodding her head as she began realizing how confused Paige was, Emily thought of something that might help. "Ok, let's play a game".

"Uh, ok" Paige puzzlingly agreed.

"When I say a word, you need to say the first word that pops into your head. Okay?" Emily instructed as she waited for Paige to comply.

Still confused of where Emily was going with this, Paige agreed again. "O-kay".

"Okay" Emily repeated as a smile spread across her lips. "Animal"

"Planet" Paige said quickly; earning a confused look from the brunette. "What? River monsters was insane last night"

Laughing lightly at the girl, Emily just shook her head. "Right. Ok, book"

"Count of Monte Cristo" Paige replied.

"Music" the brunette asked.

"Inspirational" the auburn girl stated.

"Rosewood" Emily requested.

"Home" Paige replied with a small smile.

"Burger" Emily asked.

Widening her eyes as the sudden feeling of hunger took over, Paige quickly stated, "the Fire Quacker"

Laughing at the girl's last response again, Emily continued. "Movie"

"Batman" Paige stated in her husky voice.

"School" Emily asked.

"Friends" Paige replied as she nudged the brunette; earning her a smile.

"College" Emily asked once again.

"Standford" Paige quickly stated as she realized her mistake.

"Standford?" the brunette asked as she looked toward the auburn girl for her slipup.

"Uh, yeah" Paige confirmed hesitantly. "I was looking at them last night"

"You want to go to Standford? In California?" Emily asked again; hoping they were talking about two different schools.

Digging her hands in her pockets to hide her discomfort, Paige needed to smooth out the situation. "It's an option. I didn't accept anything yet"

"So you got in?" the brunette startlingly asked.

"Yeah" Paige confirmed again as she hoped the fact that she got early acceptance wouldn't come up.

"When were you going to tell me?" Emily asked as she stood in front of Paige to prevent her from walking any further.

"It's not a big deal" Paige state nonchalantly. "I was just looking at different schools"

"In California" the brunette restated as she raised her voice a little.

"Em-" the auburn girl began before being interrupted.

Combing back her hair with her right hand, Emily's eyes widen as she tried to wrap her mind around the possibility. "I'd have to take a plane to see you?"

"Em, hey" Paige started as she grabbed the girls hands to calm her down. "I didn't accept it yet. I'm still here. Plus, aren't you getting offers from the west and east coast?"

"That's different though" Emily exclaimed as she pushed Paige away and turned around.

"How so? Because you'd be the one leaving me?" the auburn directly asked.

"That's not fair" Emily pointed out. "And plus I haven't decided anything yet"

"Exactly!" Paige agreed as Emily began acting as she did just a few seconds ago. "So don't get riled up just yet"

Emily knew Paige was right. But the idea of losing her friend for 4 years terrified her. Forcing out a quiet mumble, the brunette agreed. "Fine"

The auburn girl knew Emily wasn't okay with the situation and felt guilt-ridden for bringing it up. But this was reality. They were seniors. The possibility of losing some friends was a strong possibility. It was true they never spoke about how far away from each other they would be; however it was bound to come up.

Feeling a drop on her hand as the two stood in silence, Paige looked up as she realized what those droplets meant. "Uh, Em? I think it would be a good time to open that umbrella now"

Following the auburn girl's gaze, Emily looked up the sky as she felt the water coming down even harder. Quickly opening up her umbrella, the brunette soon saw it was completely destroyed as a few of the stretchers were completely bent. "Crap. I think it's broken"

"Why do you carry around a broken umbrella?" Paige quickly exclaimed as she faced the brunette.

"I didn't know it was broken" Emily yelled back as it began raining even harder.

"Well that looks pretty damn broken. I doubt that happened while it was closed" Paige pointed out as they watched the umbrella flip over by a gust of rain.

"Shit, I don't know what to do" the brunette stated as she began recoiling the spring to close.

Suddenly realizing she might have a solution; Paige began rummaging through her own bag pack. "Ok ok ok, hold on. I think I have a pocket umbrella".

"What the hell is a pocket umbrella?" Emily asked confused as she watched Paige go through her bag.

"A really tiny umbrella" Paige explained as she pulled out what she was looking for. Opening it, the girls realized it was barely meant for one person; let alone two. "You need to come closer" Paige instructed as she wrapped her right arm around the brunette's waist to bring her closer.

That was the moment everything began moving in slow motion for her. Involuntarily feeling her body move accordance with the auburn girl, Emily didn't know when exactly it happened; when that feeling of complete euphoria took over. But the instant she felt Paige wrap her arms around her, the brunette felt her heart begin to race and throat completely constrict. The goosebumps that aroused across her entire body wasn't because of the rain; it was because she began feeling something she couldn't quite explain. Emily swore it was only because Paige brought up the possibility of moving to California; the reason for wanting Paige to never let go of her.

 _Would you see her as someone you would want to date?_ The question Alison asked her suddenly popped into her head. _Why hasn't it ever crossed her mind?_ With the girls new found proximity, Emily swallowed the lump in her throat as she couldn't help but drift her eyes toward the auburn girl's lips as Paige was focused on finding the quickest exit out of the park. Licking her own lips, Emily looked back up as she was frozen in step when her gaze focused on the warm and inviting allure the auburn girl's eyes suddenly had on her. It was as though she was seeing Paige McCullers for the first time.

The warmth eluding from Paige's body created a bubble for Emily; a bubble she didn't want to get out of. Paige was always her anchor. Her constant. The person she knew she could and will always turn to in any situation. The way she felt about Paige she knew she never felt with anyone. But what did that mean? She never looked at Paige the way she looked at Alison. This was her friend, her best friend.

With the sudden sound of a branch breaking resonated through the park, Emily pushed aside her thoughts. Feeling the auburn girl gently turn her head as she managed to graze her soft cheek against her own, Emily felt her chest drop at the light touch. "I think the closest exit is on Airdale Rd" the girl above her whispered as Emily soon felt Paige's arm around her tightened. "We can continue our convo later"

The brunette couldn't find her voice. With all the feelings suddenly coursing through her body, Emily was only able to snuggle in closer to Paige's form as her body moved involuntarily toward the exit.

* * *

 *****Present Day*****

Paige couldn't remove the gigantic smile plastered across her lips as she went in for a hug with Skylar. Wrapping her arm around the girl's neck, Paige squeezed her tightly just before breaking off and mirroring the same hug toward Dylan. As she made her way toward Aiden, the auburn girl gave her co-lead a handshake before pulling him in for a hug. As Paige felt Aiden gently pat her on back, she turned to face her co-lead just as he leaned in. "The girls are here"

Furrowing her brows at the statement, Paige broke apart from the built man before looking in the direction he was focusing on. Drifting her eyes toward the balcony, the first pair of eyes the auburn girl made contact with was the same pair of deep orbs she found herself consistently thinking of. "Those guards are seriously useless"


	16. Chapter 16

**DarkBlueMint:** I completely agree! You should always trust your friend you knew for over a few years rather than some person you just met. But I guess in high school you kind of lack that and is just blinded by your crush.

 **EmGarretson22:** I'm sorry! I didn't mean to be cruel!

 **Siophiefandom:** Hahaha, yes! It only took her 8 years! They're soulmates thought! It's bound to happen.

 **Guest1:** You'll find who the redhead is in this chapter!

 **Sofiadc66:** First off…best of luck tomorrow on your exam! You'll rock it! The realities of life really are scary and we don't give enough credit those brave enough to defend us. I kind of had to do it since Em's dad on the show does do that as well. You'll find out who the redhead is in this chapter, don't worry. And pocket umbrellas really are amazing! They've saved me so many times…well my bag at least. Hope you enjoy the Paily scenes!

 **Alaskinder/EP:** Thank you so much for the review!

 **Pailyshark:** Lol! I definitely know I was completely clueless about everything in high school! But Paily will find each other! Just to play devil's advocate over here, Paige wouldn't have realized her feelings for Em if Hanna didn't plant that seed

 **Naiel2017:** Thank you so much for always reviewing! I'm kind of quirky about some things. So unless something crazy comes up (and of course I'll let you guys know) I'll always post accordingly!

 **Thecatfromaliceinwonderland:** Hahaha, sometimes you need a bit a competition to push you to work harder. BUT…you're guess is partially correct. And yes! I figured you'd pick up on how I revisted the whole "seed" story from Ms. Nicholas. That definitely plays a huge role in their relationship…so thank you for that. Lol! I figured you'd be doing a happy dance. I hope I don't disappoint!

 **Jessi1288/Xweet338/DM247:** Thank you so much for the PMs!

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Pretty Little Liars or any of its characters**

Paige couldn't be more livid if she tried at that point. Storming up the hotel staircase located outside the ballroom, the auburn girl along with her co-lead didn't understand why the girls just wouldn't stay put. After everything they've been through, those girls always found some way to do the complete opposite of what they were told.

Forcefully shoving the corridor open that led to balcony the girls were on, Paige sported a look that spoke for itself. "Outside" was all she said in a low husky voice as she stepped aside for the girls to walk through. Paige was too heated to look any of the girls in their eyes; especially Emily. After watching the video that was just shown to the department, Paige felt somewhat embarrassed. Not because they witnessed all her hard work. But she felt as though they were finally able to see the side of her she was trying desperately to hide from them. Paige wanted the image of herself in high school to stay with them. Not who she has become. It terrified her slightly knowing they saw glimpses of her world. She felt as though the wall she had built for 8 years was starting to crumble.

Making their way out of the hotel area quietly, Aiden headed toward back of the venue knowing it was a bit isolated from running into any of the commanding officers. Knowing full well the team themselves could get in trouble for the girls determination of prying without their security, Aiden wanted to make sure no one would see them before he turned around. "Would one of you like to tell us what you're doing here?" he asked vehemently.

"We just wanted to see you guys accept your awards. We honestly didn't mean any harm coming down here. Our…curiosity just got the best of us" Spencer stated as she knew Emily was still heated at Paige's somewhat deception. "How come you didn't tell us you guys are receiving top honors?"

"Because then you would ask to come" Paige bluntly answered.

"And what's the big deal if we did?" Hanna asked.

Combing her hair back in frustration, Paige took in a deep breath before responding. "Listen, this was a night supposed to be for us. Away from any work related activities. One of Caminiti's men-"

"So now we're work related?" the tanned beauty suddenly chimed from behind the group.

Tightening her jaw at the way the statement came out, Paige looked down as she tried figuring how to rephrase her statement. At the tone of the brunette's voice, Paige knew the girl was angry but figured it was because of her statement. "Emily"

"What happened to having your friends support you?" Spencer asked before Emily was able to say anything she would regret.

"Of course we appreciate having our friends support us. But what if one of Caminiti's men spotted you on the street?" Aiden quickly asked as he noticed how uncomfortable the situation was getting for his co-lead. "During our ceremony we would have a call that the number of people now missing increased to 5. We were only looking out for your safety"

"And we're just saying we would have liked to support you guys okay?" Hanna calmly replied.

"I understand that" Aiden calmly replied. "And I know the four of you have history. But right now this is Paige's job. She's not a librarian or lawyer. Her job comes with risks. You guys can support her after we close this case. For now, we have all the support she needs"

"Like a certain leggy red head" Emily sternly stated in a quiet voice as her eyes focused solely on the auburn girl.

Paige knew Emily was heated. Emily didn't have to say a word and Paige would still know. The brunette's firm stance spoke for itself. Combining that with the girl's unyielding glare, Paige knew she needed a moment with Emily alone. Swallowing lightly, Paige glanced over at Aiden before she looked at the other two girls. "Can you guys give us a minute?" she asked before shifting her glance toward the brunette; noticing how embarrassed yet angry she still seemed to look. "We'll meet you by the front of the hotel in a few"

* * *

 *****8 Years Ago*****

"I really like your dress" Alison flirtatiously stated as she maintained eye contact with Emily; taking her seat at the dinner table.

Emily couldn't help herself from blushing uncontrollably. The girl before her could talk about a rock and Emily swore she'd swoon over it. "Thanks. I thought it would be the perfect summer dress for this occasion"

"It definitely is. Plus I love how yellow looks on you" Alison agreed as she placed her table napkin on her lap.

"I know" the brunette replied as she placed her own table napkin down. "You mentioned it in passing during chemistry class" Emily revealed thinking back to that day. _That must have been the same time Paige found out Alison liked the color yellow since she was sitting right near her during class. But I could have sworn Paige was so engulfed in her textbook to pay attention to anything around her given how intense her stare was while she was reading._

"So what made you pick this place? Sorry again for just leaving the planning all on you. I honestly didn't realize how long lit homework was going to take me" Alison stated apologetically.

The brunette simply nodded off her apology. "It's okay. I noticed during lunch you always picked pasta instead of burgers so I figured you liked Italian. I just searched for good Italian places around area"

"And expensive" Alison noted as she opened the menu.

"Don't worry about it. This one is on me" Emily smiled as she followed the blonde; opening her own menu.

"Why thank you" Alison smiled back. "Why did you agree to go on this date with me?"

"I think it's kind of obvious" Emily stated as she arched an eyebrow.

"I rather you state it" Alison countered.

Thinking about the way she should phrase her answer, Emily figured she rather be blunt than beat around the topic. "There's something about you that I just find so attractive yet I hardly know anything about you"

"What do you want to know?" the blue eye bombshell asked as she braced back against her chair; intrigued by what the brunette wanted to know.

"Why did you move to Rosewood?" Emily asked simply.

"My dad got an offer over here so decided to move the entire family. My mom could basically find a job anywhere" Alison replied back with no follow up question.

"So you didn't have a choice?" Emily pried.

"Well I'm not complaining" Alison responded flirtatiously as she looked at the brunette seductively. Is there anything else?"

"Hmmm, well given that we're seniors, where do you want to go to school next year?" Emily continued.

"Not sure actually" Alison answered as she tried thinking of where she would want to be. "I think I want to be a teacher, but waiting on a sign to hit me on the head. So for now, I'd probably just take some courses in whatever peaks my interest"

"You know there are some pretty decent community colleges around here that could help with that" Emily responded with a smile before taking a sip of her water.

"I've seen. What about you?" Alison finally asked.

"Danby all the way" Emily answered with smile plastered across her face. "I want to swim forever"

"Where do you see swimming taking you?" the petite blonde asked curiously.

"What do you mean?" the brunette asked back.

"I mean, how are you going to get an income out of it?" Alison asked pointedly.

"I don't know" Emily quietly stated as she looked down at her menu. She never thought about a potential occupation after college. All Emily knew was that she loved swimming; she felt free. Her friends always convinced her to follow her dreams no matter what; especially Paige. Paige refused to allow Emily to give up on anything. She use to always say, 'if it wasn't worth it, it wouldn't be so hard'. The girl always convinced her to follow her heart and everything else would fall into place. "I didn't really think of it. But I do see myself possibly making it to the Olympics. That would amazing"

"Wow, that's some dream" Alison simply replied not realizing how much swimming really meant to the brunette.

"Yeah" Emily quietly replied.

As though it was planned perfectly for their sudden awkward moment, a tall sandy hair waiter came over as he placed a basket of warm bread on the table. "Good evening ladies. My name is Mark and I'll be your server tonight. Is there anything I could start you ladies off with?"

"Water is fine for the both of us" Alison immediately answered without asking Emily. "Any appetizers or would you prefer the main entrée?"

"The main entrée please" Emily seemingly agreed as Alison seemed to already have something picked out. "So what do are you in the mood for eating?"

"I'm thinking the veal saltimbocca. You should try the basa crabmeat au gratin" Alison suggested.

"Basa crabmeat au gratin it is" Emily agreed as the waiter wrote down their orders.

"Great, I'll be right back with your orders" Mark replied with a smile as he took the women's menu.

"Everything smells and looks amazing" the brunette stated as she looked around the restaurant at everyone's plates.

"I can't wait to try it" Alison replied in agreement. Realizing a few minutes of uncomfortable silence seem to have befallen on the pair yet again, Alison spoke up. "So Emily, were you born in Rosewood?"

"I was indeed. Just a small town girl" Emily answered with a smile.

"Ha, living in a lonely world" the blue eye girl responded. "I was born in Philly but moved when I was 8 to Ravenswood. Life has so much to offer"

"I would love to travel" Alison stated. "But I need the money first"

"It's always about the money isn't?" Alison agreed as she took a sip of water. "My first trip is going to be Paris"

"Paris!" Emily exclaimed. "I heard is absolutely amazing over there"

"The sainte-chapelle" the blue eye beauty stated.

"The louvre" the brunette added.

"Les Invalides" Alison continued.

"Of course the Eiffel Tower" Emily sustained.

"We'll always have the Eiffel Tower" Alison responded with a slight twinkle in her eye.

"Ladies, your dinner" Mark suddenly stated as he placed the girl's dishes in front of them. "Enjoy"

"Wow, I'm starving!" Emily exclaimed as her eyes widen as she quickly picked up her utensils to take a bite of her meal. "This is just so good"

"I told you" Alison said with a smirk.

Dinner seemed to be a lot quieter than Emily thought it should have been. There's normally so much to talk about during a first date Emily would never trust her gut to make a sound decision. She would always determine if she liked the person on the second date. But this date wasn't like her normal first dates. It was quieter. When she looked at Alison she still had the same butterflies in her stomach; but she couldn't talk with her. It seemed as though they were both on different ends of the spectrum. Alison didn't even seem to be the girl you could be casually call up and ask to hangout. She seemed to be the girl you needed to ask out in advance. Emily of course didn't mind if she was that girl.

 _Girls like you._ The statement Paige had indicated before suddenly echoed in Emily's mind. There was a clear difference between Alison and Paige. Girls like Paige were kind and willing to go above and beyond all else to make someone smile. Girls like Paige who knew the right things to say in any moment. Girls like Paige would refuse to go to a fancy restaurant for a first date; they would want to probably want to cook together instead. Girls like Paige would have probably spend days thinking of ways to make tonight perfect. The second Alison asked Emily if she thought of Paige in any other way then a friend, the statement was embedded in Emily's mind; like a seed. _Why didn't she think of Paige in any way besides a friend? Maybe because Paige was just that; her best friend. Her best friend that was absolutely amazing. Her best friend that-_

The question that ran passed her mind was suddenly put on hold the second a group of students came into the restaurant waiting to be seated. The color they were supporting on their jackets looked familiar, but Emily couldn't piece it together until she saw the participation medal of one of the students.

"What's today's date?" Emily hesitantly asked as she could feel her chest drop as the air around her suddenly disappeared.

"Is that a test?" Alison asked sarcastically. Realizing Emily was serious, the blonde answered. "It's Thursday, November 17th . Why?"

Widening her eyes in fear, Emily shot up as she immediately opened her purse to throw $80 on the table before closing it back. "Shit I can't believe I forgot. I have to go. I'm so sorry" the brunette tearfully stated before running out of the restaurant.

Emily could feel the tears streaming down her face as she began driving faster than she should. The second Alison asked her out that seemed to be the only thing she cared about. She was so engulfed with figuring out what to do tonight that she shoved everything else out of her mind. Out of all the days she could possibly forget, she couldn't believe she forgot this one day. That's why Paige was so dismal around her; but she never said anything. Paige only wanted her to be happy and do what she wanted to do.

Within 20 minutes, the brunette arrived in front of Rosewood High. Barging through the front doors of the high school, Emily felt there was some hope when she saw some students still in the hall. Looking at her phone to see it was a little after 10, the brunette entered the gymnasium; only to see the janitors beginning to take down the decorations of the competition.

Closing her eyes in complete and utter disgust with herself, Emily licked her bottom lip miserably as she tried to wipe the tears from her eyes. Dialing the number she hoped she didn't need to, Emily felt her heart drop as it went straight to voicemail. "Hey it's me. I'm at school right now…I'm just...I am so so so so sorry P. I don't know how I forgot about today." Emily honestly stated despondently. "Just…give me a call back. I promise I'll make it up to you. Name it and it's yours. Please" the brunette begged. "Congrats on the win" Emily ended when she saw Paige's name at the top of the board near the stage for first prize winner.

Standing there motionless for a few minutes, Emily begged her cellphone to ring. It wasn't until one of the janitors told her it was time for them close up where she was forced to leave school grounds. Taking in a deep breath, Emily entered her car realizing she could just go to Paige's house. Starting her car engine, the sudden slight vibration of her phone made the brunette freeze.

 **From Paige:** Hey, thanks. No need to apologize. It was just a competition. I'll see you Monday. Got tomorrow off because of the win. Hope you had fun on your date.

The brunette felt even worse. Paige couldn't even call her back. Knowing the girl was the type to try to brush off any major events, Emily frustratingly began to type.

 **To Paige:** Don't do that. This was for the Davidson Scholarship. You've been focusing on months for this.

Thankfully, Emily didn't have to wait too long for a reply this time.

 **From Paige:** I know. But it's over and I won. No need to dwell on the topic any more.

Brushing her hair back in defeat, Emily took in a deep breath.

 **To Paige:** Would you just call me?

Emily was hopeful the auburn girl would feel how sorry she was. She never did something so selfish before; especially over a girl. Especially when it came to Paige.

 **From Paige:** You said name it and it's mine? I said I'll see you Monday. Have a great weekend.

Emily closed her eyes as she couldn't control the tears streaming down her face. She could feel just how badly she hurt Paige and didn't know what she could do to fix it. After a few seconds of gasping, Emily began to type.

 **To Paige:** You too Paige. I really am sorry.

The next few days crawled by for Emily. She couldn't leave her room. She avoided all texts from the other girls who were asking where she was. She couldn't even eat properly. Emily had absolutely no energy. She just needed to see Paige. Emily had no idea how she could possibly make up for what she did, but she had too. This weekend was possibly the first time in 4 years she didn't talk or text Paige. She didn't know how, she didn't know why; but the second she laid eyes on the auburn girl Emily felt as though all was right in the world. The notion she may have just ruined that made Emily want to hide back under her covers.

* * *

Monday came just as it would. Standing by the girl's locker for an hour, Emily couldn't afford to miss the chance of seeing Paige. Emily felt uplifted as her eyes widened in relief the second she saw the auburn girl round the corner from her history class and was heading straight for her; but Emily didn't feel as though everything was going to be alright. "Hey"

"Hey" Paige simply replied. Just by a quick glance, Paige knew just about how much sleep the girl had. Feeling the sorrow eluding from the girl, she knew she had to continue. "How was your weekend?"

"It was great" Emily lied. "I uh, just stayed home and relaxed a bit"

Closing her locker door, Paige simply nodded as she tried avoiding all eye contact. Of course she knew it was the first time in several years she didn't text, call or see Emily. It was even harder than she knew, but Paige couldn't face the girl. Having Emily miss her competition for a date broke her; especially one that was with Alison. Beginning to walk toward her next class, Paige felt as though she should at least try to talk to her. "It was like 65 out there. That's perfect weather for you. You should have went running or training or something"

"Yeah, wasn't feeling like doing anything crazy. How was yours?" Emily asked trying to ask upbeat as she began following the auburn girl around.

"Great actually" Paige replied as she simply glanced over to the brunette. "Sam heard about the win and came down. I think I've had a total of 2 hours of sleep"

"Sam, right" Emily stated quietly.

"What?" Paige asked slightly harsh as she turned to face the girl; stopping both of them in the side of the hallway.

"Tell me what to do and I do it" the brunette begged.

"There's nothing you could do" Paige harshly stated.

"Please" Emily started as she stepped a bit closer. "I spent this entire weekend contemplating how it was possible that I completely forgot what Thursday was. How much it meant to you"

"And you had a date with a girl you really like. Sometimes that gets higher precedence over friends" Paige responded nonchalantly.

"That's not fair" the brunette replied.

"What do you want me to say? That when we went shopping Tuesday I didn't feel disappointed that my own best friend managed to make plans on the day I've been talking about non-stop about for the past 3 months about without realizing? That literally the only person I wanted there was you?" Paige honestly asked as she watched how broken Emily was.

"I know" was all Emily was able to mumble out as she looked at the floor.

"No, you don't know." Paige stated. "You don't know how it feels to watch your best friend go on a date with someone you hate" the auburn girl sternly stated as she watched Emily eyes widen at the statement. "I told you I don't like Alison. She makes me feel belittled at everything I do. And she's only been here for what…a month? I'm not going to give you the details of why I hate her, but as your best friend you should've at least thought about my feelings" she continued.

"Paige-" Emily began.

"Em, I'm not saying that to hurt you" Paige stated as she cut the brunette off. "But I love you more than anything. And I know you're confused right now. Especially since it's basically the first time you've been so drawn to someone. But you need to look at the whole situation and not just you and Alison in your own little bubble" the auburn girl suggested. "Look, you have the semi-finals swim competition coming up in a few weeks. Your mind should be on that"

"All I care about right now is finding some way for you to forgive me" Emily honestly stated.

Nodding her head as she knew Emily was hurting; Paige swallowed the large lump in her throat. She knew they were both hurting; but she also knew they were feeling two different versions of that hurt. "Give me until the end of today. You could meet me at my house for dinner"

"I'll be there" Emily replied hopeful.

"Don't thank me yet." the auburn responded with a smile. Despite forgiving the girl, Paige knew the topic of their minor fight was still there. "We'll be watching the formation of higher mass elements. A new video was released last night"

* * *

 *****Present Day*****

Waiting silently as the rest of the group made their way out of the park, Paige refused to say anything until she knew she was alone with the brunette. "Care to share why you're so pissed off right now?"

"You just received one of the most honorable awards you can get, but instead of telling me…" Emily began before closing her eyes in frustration as she caught herself, she continued. "…us….you brought some red head chick?"

"Her name is Eliza" Paige coolly stated.

"Does it look like I care?" the brunette asked as she tried to hide her frustration.

Smiling lightly to herself, Paige took a step forward. "It looks like you're really angry"

"Who the hell is Eliza?" Emily exclaimed as she folded her arms defensively.

"Em-" the doe eye girl began before being interrupted.

"I'm pretty sure I'd remember her if you mentioned her before" the brunette stated before trying to think back if Paige mentioned her before. "What? When she's busy you have Claire as a backup?"

"Em-" Paige tried again before being interjected.

"Better get you back inside before she comes looking for you" Emily angrily stated as she turned around to make her way back to the other girls.

"Geez, Em! Just give me a second. Do you hear yourself?" Paige shouted; forcing Emily to turn around to glare at her.

"What?" the brunette shouted back.

"You sound like a jealous girlfriend rather than a friend" Paige bluntly stated. "Eliza is straight first of all. She's a friend that I met when I went to Stanford. While on duty for the Wilson's case, we were stranded in Escuintla. Eliza has a house over there which we managed to use for shelter. She basically saved us from getting caught. We invited her because she deserves those honors as well"

The sudden guilt of jumping to such a conclusion dawned on Emily. She was still livid that Paige didn't trust her enough to tell her about tonight, but she knew she was wrong as well for rushing to the venue without fully understanding the situation. "We should get back inside" the brunette quietly before turning back around.

"Are you going to tell me why you sounded jealous back there?" Paige candidly asked.

Emily didn't know what to say. Refusing to turn around for the auburn girl to see her; Emily kept her arms around herself before responding hoping it would shield her from her own humiliation. "I'm still getting used to seeing you with your new friends okay?"

"'Leggy red head'" Paige repeated as she kept her focus on the brunette's toned back. "That doesn't sound like a friendly description"

"What do you want from me Paige?" Emily exasperatedly asked as she turned out. "What? I'm trying here"

"Why are you trying? You have to try to be my friend?" the auburn asked hurt and confused.

"Yes!" Emily screamed out as tears began forming in her eyes. "I have to _try_ to be your friend. We were so close at one point you wouldn't have even dreamed about hesitating to tell me about something as stupid as your ingrown toenail or something as important as your mom's breast cancer scare. And now you can't even tell me you and your team is having something as simple as an award. So yes I have to try to be your friend since you won't tell me anything. Every time you go out on a mission I feel as though you're just going to walk out of my life again. You know what, just forget it" she acknowledged before turning back around.

Furrowing her eye brows, Paige refused to let the brunette go. Walking faster to block Emily from leaving, Paige grabbed the brunette's wrist to stop her from going any further. "Are you kidding me? I don't want you to have to try to be my friend but at the same time I'm not the same girl I was in high school. I can't just tell you ever detail about my life. You need to trust me" the auburn girl stated heatedly trying to figure out if Emily was just using her for the sake of her friend.

"You want me to trust you Paige? How can I trust you if you can't even talk to me?" Emily stated as she held Paige's gaze. "You don't get it do you? That's the most frustrating part of this!" Emily shouted as she moved passed Paige to get back to the venue.

"Of what?" Paige shouted back.

"After 8 years, 8 god damn years you honestly could just look at the person who you had fallen for and pretend as though there's nothing there anymore?" Emily asked desperately as she turned around to hold the stunned gaze on the auburn's girl was sporting. "Well I can't. I can't just look at you and pretend you didn't have feelings for me"

"I see" Paige realized quietly. "Em, it's been 8 years. People move on. We were in high school. A lot has change"

"Yeah, I heard" Emily nodded in agreement as she wrapped her arms around herself again. "Like your taste in women" Emily could feel her throat constrict as watched Paige look to the ground. "I was confused Paige. I was a confused 17 year old girl with a crush" the brunette pleaded.

"I know" Paige whispered.

"You don't know" Emily replied as she took a step forward toward the auburn girl. "I didn't know" she continued as she watched as the girl looked at her bewilderingly. "I didn't…understand what I felt for you in high school. I thought I was supposed to feel the way I felt about Alison with everyone I might have a crush on. The second Alison would enter a room my eyes would gravitate toward her" the brunette admitted as her eyes began to fill with tears. "But the second you entered a room my entire body would just follow you. Ever since we've known each other we've always had this attachment. I would need to call you just to hear your voice even if we just saw each other 3 hours ago. That wasn't friendship" Emily stated. "It was something more that I didn't understand. It wasn't until Alison asked if I saw you as something more than a friend where I began to realize what it could be. But before I could, you left and I didn't know what to do"

"Don't blame me" Paige distantly stated as she watched Emily take a step forward toward her. Hearing Emily admit she had feelings for her back in high school as well was a slap of reality. Paige knew she acted rash with her decision to graduate early but she couldn't bear to take rejection. She never even gave Emily the chance to talk to her. And now here they were. Finding out things might have been different if she had just stayed a little bit longer.

Nodding her head at the statement Paige made, Emily couldn't disagree more. "I don't blame you. I can never blame you. I blame myself for not recognizing what I had with me all along. Then after 8 years I see you again…being a special ops officer and putting your life in danger every day. Of course I was mad. I was livid. But I'm not mad that you risk your life. I was mad that I wasn't there to see you become who you are today. It wasn't until I saw you for the first time after so long where it was confirmed that I did in fact have feelings for you all those years ago. But I'm too late. You've already moved on from me" Emily heartbrokenly stated as she left a surprised Paige McCullers standing in place before making her way to the venue.

Watching in complete disbelief as Emily walk towards the direction of the hotel, the feeling of complete and utter shocked coursed through the doe eyed girl. _Emily Fields just admitted to having feelings for me and honestly believes I don't share them._ Clenching her jaw as she combed back her hair with her left -hand, Paige grabbed Emily's right wrist. In one swift motion, Paige pulled Emily toward her as she shifted her left hand to the brunette's neck and guided her right hand to rest on the tanned beauty's waist before she fully engulfed the girl in a long awaited kiss.

Emily's mind was not in sync with her body. She could only feel the warmth Paige McCullers offered her as she felt her back suddenly brace against one of the large park trees. Slowly opening her eyes as she felt their kiss slightly broke apart, Emily involuntarily arched her right eyebrow as she found herself gazing directly into the same gorgeous chocolate brown eyes she had always got lost in. Feeling her fingers graze up the auburn girl's perfectly sculpted arms, Emily guided them up toward the girl's cheek as realization of what was happening finally dawned on her. Refusing for it to be a simple kiss, Emily pulled the girl back in for another kiss as she moved her entire body within the auburn girl's form.

Paige leaned in toward the brunette as she compressed Emily between her and the tree before parting her lips to fully devour the girl's lips. Immediately feeling Emily's lips part between hers, Paige took the opportunity to swiftly embed her tongue within the brunette's opening as she couldn't get enough of her. Roaming her hands down toward Emily's waist, Paige gave it a forceful squeeze before leaning in even more.

Feeling herself lose all control of her balance, Paige stretched out her left hand to keep the pair from falling before placing her right leg right between Emily's as she immediately felt the pool of wetness ripening between the girl's legs through her own pants.

All thought went out the door the second Paige pulled Emily in for a kiss. The instant she felt the brunette lips move against hers Paige couldn't think. She could only feel the way her body naturally gravitated toward the bronzed beauty; wanting to feel and taste every inch of her.

Paige didn't realize how strong of an effect the brunette had on her. Of course all she wanted to do since the moment she saw her was just kiss her despite their history; but she couldn't. Her life had no room for love. Anyone she knew could be used as a bargaining chip and Paige couldn't allow that to happen to Emily. The auburn girl couldn't wrap her mind around the thought of that.

But the feeling that came over the pair was indescribable. It was a mixture of longing, wanting, needing and finally having. Paige couldn't get close enough to the girl. She held her closer as the kiss intensified; feeling as though it was just a dream. Kissing Emily Fields made Paige realize what exactly she was missing all these years. Paige never could put her finger on it. She had her fair share of accomplishments and social life. However, she knew a piece of her was at Rosewood; but that was not entirely correct. In that moment Paige recognized a piece of her wasn't at Rosewood, it was with the brunette; she was her home.

Finding her hands drifting toward the brunette's perfectly round ass, the girls were suddenly startled out of her daze by the sound of a distant car alarm going off; forcing them to break the kiss. Out of breath, Paige took a step back to put some distance between her and the brunette as she looked at Emily with pure lust. Observing the girl reciprocating the stare, Paige parted her lips as she took in a deep breath.

Surprised by the intensity of how right it felt to kiss the girl, Paige knew Emily felt it as well; how perfect they seemed to fit the instant they were within each other's personal space. Swallowing to hide the nervousness that surged through her body, the sudden flash of one of the scenes Paige had been through on the last case took over. She refused to have any harm come to the brunette over her own choices. There was violence always around her. That wasn't going to change.

"There's nothing between us. There can't be anything between us." Paige stated weakly as earned a confused looked from Emily. "I need to head back inside" she continued feeling herself tremble as she walked away from the breathless brunette. "You need to move on"


	17. Chapter 17

**Siophiefandom:** Sorry to hear you were disappointed with the kiss. I do understand what you mean that Paige was too quick with the kiss, however putting myself in her shoes…finding out someone I've been crushing on for so long also had feelings for me way back when but was just confused by it would take me by complete shock. And then watching them walk away after they confess something like that would kind of put things in perspective. But thank you as always for reviewing. I honestly do appreciate your opinion!

 **Guest1/Valentina/CaliGrlFoLife/Melbevic2/EmGarretson22/andreaburjas/naiel2017/EP** : I promise you Paily is endgame! I'm sorry for all the feels! We all know Paige would do anything to keep Emily safe…and that means putting aside her own feelings. That's why we all love her! She's selfless!

 **Jedimazzie:** Thank you for that and for reviewing!

 **Pailyshark:** I promise you I'm not trying to kill you! I'm glad I was able to nudge you in the right direction! I think a prequel to this story would just be absolutely devastating. I mean the fact that we know they won't be together in high school would be heartbreaking. I might cry writing that. AND I agree with your last statement there. You can't just kiss someone like that and then tell them to move on…

 **Sofiadc66:** Hope your test went well today! This chapter will be waiting for you after your exam so don't worry. Thank you as always for the amazing words and motivation. I do appreciate that! I love your rant on that flashback scene btw. And may I say you are absolutely correct! I'm glad you picked up on that. I was listening to "Guys Like Paige" the other day and thought it would be perfect for a line in my story…I just had to change it to "Girls Like Paige". I'm really glad you liked how everything turned out!

 **DarkBlueMint:** I would not put something like planning a date the same day you know a big competition is happening past Alison. She is manipulative after all and I did feel as though she would know something like that…but I didn't write it into the story unfortunately. Now, can I say I love your frying pan? I really do. I could not help but crack up. You can hit them with a frying pan lol. You are right! Emily's raw confession is coming from such a frustrating place so it might feel as though she's making Paige feel guilty, but it's not her intention. As to your fourth point…wait till after this chapter to hit Paige lol.

 **Thecatfromaliceinwonderland:** Lol, jealousy makes us do crazy things! I know I've don't my fair share. Shhhhh! I'm glad you loved the Paily moment! So I gotta make up for that twist huh? Well I'll guess you find out in this chapter what the verdict is. And YES! The team is still coming for Aria and Mr. Fields...but first we got to have some Paily goodness.

 **Jessie1288/Xweet338** : Thank you as always for the PM and encouragement!

 **A/N:** Please know including this update…there are 5 chapters left. I mentioned it before when we were halfway done but I just wanted to give you guys a heads up now as well. Enjoy!

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Pretty Little Liars or any of its characters**

Paige couldn't think about anything else. Her body was working on autopilot as her mind kept giving her snapshots of the kiss she just shared with Emily a few minutes ago. She could feel herself tear up as she kept remembering the words she told the brunette. _There's nothing between us._ Of course there was something between them. Strangers standing around them could feel that there was something between them. But now, as that kiss just intensified that sensation; she managed to ruin it.

Emily's lips were perfect. The way her frame molded into her own was perfect. Even the way the brunette's fingers combed over her body felt perfect. Keeping her eyes on the large swimming pool before her, Paige licked her bottom lip instinctively as she could still feel it tingling. Every time she tried to push the smallest recollection of the girl out of her thoughts, her mind would do the complete opposite and give her yet another flashback. Whether it was the feel of the tanned beauty's slim hips within her grip, or the sensation of Emily's breath on her cheeks, or the way she was able to feel how heated the girl's center was as she placed her right thigh right between the brunette's legs to keep them both static against the tree.

There was no way Paige would be able to just walk back into the ballroom and pretend everything was just fine. She needed a moment to figure out how she was going to be able to get things back to normal; or at least the normalcy she once created. She couldn't give into her feelings. Yes, a part of her was still angry at the brunette for what she did so many years ago. But Emily was confused; just like every other person is at least one time in their life when it comes to a certain individual. Then again, Emily should've trusted her opinion of Alison. How was she supposed to trust the girl when Emily wouldn't even consider how she felt when it came to an attractive stranger? And to make matters worse, Paige's life was nowhere close to being safe. Just thought of putting Emily's life in danger was enough to bring Paige back to reality.

After leaving Emily completely frozen at the back of the venue, Paige had barely made her way toward the front where she told Aiden she would meet him and the girls. It was evident in the auburn girl's posture she nowhere remotely close to being okay. With the rest of her team waiting for her as well, Skylar didn't want to pry more than she should; knowing Paige would tell her in her own time. Taking the brown eye girl's silence as an obvious clue, the young officer turned to Spencer and Hanna as she gave them both a knowing look.

Skylar took it upon herself to get Emily from the back of the hotel as Aiden ordered Dave and Dylan to take Spencer and Hanna back to the safe house. As the other officers followed their instructions, the lead officer lightly tapped Paige on the shoulder; giving her notion the team had a handle on the girls for tonight. Suggesting she take the rest of the night off since the ceremony was technically over; Paige simply gave a slight nod as she would do just that.

Taking in a deep breath, Paige swallowed to help the dryness in her throat before making her way to the receptionist in the front lobby. Doing just as she was proposed, Paige booked a room for the night knowing she just needed some time to herself to figure out what she was feeling; away from anyone or anything that made her face the realities of her decisions. Placing her key within her purse, the auburn girl made her way toward the corridor as she entered the empty elevator.

Paige was just about to press 7 before her eyes glanced down to the button that had 'Pool' right next to it. It only took her half a second to make her decision as she selected the arena rather than her room; the smell of chlorine always helped her. Within a matter of seconds the elevator doors opened; leading the auburn girl to a small hallway which led to her sanctuary. Opening the large glass doors, Paige felt a complete sense of solitude once she glanced over the empty area.

The pool itself wasn't the largest pool she's seen; but the surrounding area was absolutely stunning. The entire extent gave off a cabin like feel. At the far end of the pool there was a large arch window as dark oak logs lined up horizontally around it to make up the entire wall. Located on each side of the window were two large mirrors which were perfectly situated toward the bottom to give off the feel of being in even larger room. Toward the left and the right, there were four large floor to ceiling black windows with each side having large stone columns in between. Together with the LED lights located in the tray ceiling, the entire area gave off a magical feeling; as though you were nowhere near a city full of people. Given the fact that the ceremony was located on the complete end of the hotel grounds, Paige knew she wouldn't be disturbed by officers or even guests of the hotel since it was in the late hours of the night.

Walking toward the far end of the pool, Paige kept her focus on the water. It was perfectly still; forcing her breathing to pace with it. Paige was right; the smell of chorine did help her think. Her memories unfortunately went directly toward the same night she was so unfortunate to witness the kiss between Emily and Alison. Despite trying as hard as she could to forget it, Paige couldn't erase it from her mind. It was eight years ago. Something seemingly so insignificant somehow managed to be branded in the back of her mind.

Still focusing at the water below her, Paige knew she never swam just for fun. The auburn girl swam when she needed too. When she needed to practice for a test, she swam. When she needed to save a victim, she swam. If her life depended on it, she swam. But Paige never took the opportunity to swim just because she had the chance. However after tonight, something changed that. It seemed as though the water was calling her; it was the only place she could go to have complete silence besides her own thoughts.

Pulling off her dark gray suit jacket first, Paige threw it on the closest chaise lounge chairs as she slipped off her nude pumps. Taking off her matching suit pants along with her black blouse, Paige was left in her black bra and her matching black panties which were cut out at the side. Walking to the middle of the deepest end of the pool, Paige simply took one step forward; dropping into the water below her.

It wasn't about swimming. It wasn't about floating. It was simply about being in the water. Dropping down to the pool floor by the 8 feet side, Paige just stayed there as she leaned against the pool wall holding her breath. It was the perfect place for any swimmer to think. It only took a few seconds for the auburn's mind to come racing back to really what was bothering her. She was in love with Emily Fields. She has always been in love with Emily Fields. It wasn't just about her personality or her undeniable beauty. It was everything. Paige felt as though everything in the world made perfect sense the second the brunette stood near her. She felt as though she could do the impossible when Emily just gave her a simple glance.

There was no denying Alison was not in the picture anymore; so that wasn't stopping her. It was the fact that Paige was a special ops officer now. Her life was about her job. She would fly to the other end of the world in a heartbeat if she was told her assignment was there. But ever since Emily came back into the picture; it was about her. Wherever Emily was, Paige wanted to be. She couldn't have that happen. She couldn't just change her entire life around, people were counting on her. Her team was counting on her. Victims were counting on her. And she certainly couldn't put Emily's life in danger.

The second one of her enemy's ever found out that Emily was hers, Paige knew they wouldn't hesitate to take her and use her against her. The thought of Emily being kidnapped and blindfolded for any man's amusement made Paige feel ill. Feeling herself tear up besides being under water, Paige shut her eyes even harder to gain her composure.

* * *

 *****8 Years Ago*****

Linkin Park, My Chemical Romance, Sublime and Bush were just some of the artists Emily maxed out on her MP3 player before any big game day. The beat of alternative rock always got her blood pumping; putting her in the mood to want to just go out there and dominate her opponent. Knowing she was always the last one to enter the pool arena since it took her longer to get in her mode, the last thing Emily thought she would feel was someone else's hand on her shoulder; jumping back in complete surprise against the wall of lockers.

"It's just me. It's just me!" the same blue eyed bombshell that managed to be at the center of her turmoil suddenly shouted; putting her hands up to show she meant no harm. "I didn't mean to scare you. I though you heard me come in"

Catching her breath as she took off her earbuds, Emily couldn't help but smile once a small smirk appear across Alison's lips. "No, sorry. I just tend to blast my music so I can't even hear my own thoughts"

"So how do you know when you're about to be called up?" Alison asked curiously as she took a seat on the locker room bench.

"Couch Fulton tends to carry around a neon orange poster board to literally flag me down" Emily replied with a laugh. "She never seems to mind though"

Laughing alongside the brunette, Alison simply nodded as she understood the girl's routine. "Well I guess if my star player needed just music and no interruption to get her to win a race, I would do the same" the blonde girl stated. "So are you ready? From what I hear this competition could get you into basically any school on the east side"

"I'm a nervous wreck to be quite honest" Emily simply replied. "I mean I've been practicing nonstop for the last two weeks so I know I'm prepared. But the notion that there are currently 12 of the 15 top tier university scouts sitting out there makes me want to run away from here"

"So that's why you've been ignoring since our date. Or lack thereof" Alison suddenly stated.

Turning around to place her earbuds in her locker before taking her swim cap, Emily took in a deep breath she knew she needed before having to face Alison. It was true Emily never spoke to Alison after their so called date a few weeks back; she couldn't. After knowing what she did too Paige, Emily wanted to focus on today's competition before figuring out what she wanted to do when it came to the blonde girl before her. There was no denying Emily was still attracted to Alison, that doesn't just go away. On top of it, the date they were supposed to have to get to know each other was cut short given her own selfishness. Not only did Emily manage to break Paige's trust in her, but she also managed to crumble any hope she would have with the girl standing next to her.

"I'm sorry" Emily started off. "I know I just ran out on you on a date I was wishing for since I practically first laid eyes on you, but it was the same day as a competition Paige was practicing for, for months. I needed to be there"

"I got that. I mean you didn't even think twice about it" Alison replied with a hint of sadness in her voice. "You just shot up from your seat and ran out there. That's some friendship you guys have"

"It is. I could be in the middle of Cancun having the time of my life. But if Paige called me saying she needed me, I wouldn't hesitate to jump on the next plane to get to her" Emily honestly answered.

"And what if you were with your girlfriend in Cancun when Paige calls you?" Alison suddenly asked as she watched Emily's eyes widen at her question. "Would you hop on a plane then?"

"Excuse me?" the brunette retorted.

Standing up to directly look the tanned girl in the eyes, Alison repeated herself. "If you were in Cancun with your girlfriend, would you hop on the first plane back to Rosewood if Paige called you?"

"If she needs me I would. And my girlfriend would understand that" Emily honestly replied.

Nodding at the girl's answer, Alison felt the need to pry some more. "Have you ever had an actual relationship Emily? I mean you are definitely a great friend. But is that all? Do you even know how to _act_ in a relationship? Or do you want to be in a relationship?"

"What kind of question is that?" Emily replied surprised.

"I mean, I know you told me you liked me. And I could sense you like me" Alison began as she took a step forward toward the brunette. "But was that just all talk?"

Emily felt her cheeks reddened by the meaning of Alison's words the second she saw the blonde girl's blue eyes glanced over her body. Parting her lips slightly as watched Alison's brow arch at the question, Emily felt the need to prove herself. Not waiting another second, the brunette lunged at the smaller girl; slamming her against the wall of lockers as she kissed Alison.

It only last a few seconds before Emily broke apart the kiss; wanting to see if she made her point clear to the petite blonde. It was obvious Alison wasn't convinced of her intentions. Devouring the girl's mouth yet again, Emily leaned in a bit more as she finally felt Alison hands graze her hips. Feeling the paler girl part her lips, the brunette obliged as she began exploring the shorter woman's curves.

What was supposed to be a simple kiss turned into something more intense the instant a moan left Alison's mouth. All thought flew out the window for Emily. All she was able to do was allow her body to take over as she felt her hands moving on its own. She was kissing Alison Dilaurentis. The girl she's been dreaming of for months. The girl who she never imagined feeling the same way about her was kissing her back. The girl…who was making Paige's life a living hell.

The second that thought crossed her mind, Emily pulled back from the kiss. _Paige_.

"Uhm, Emily" a familiar voice suddenly echoed through the room. "You're next" Couch Fulton instructed as she looked at the girls.

"I'll…be right there" Emily stuttered out without taking her eyes off of Alison before taking a step back.

Hearing the locker room door slam shut, the brunette was broken out of her daze as walked back to her locker before closing it shut.

"Maybe we could continue this after you win the big race?" Alison asked hopeful as she watched Emily trembling when she gather her things.

"I need to go" was all the brunette could reply before rushing out of the locker room; wondering to herself why she felt so nauseous rather than elated.

* * *

 *****Present Day*****

Slowly opening her eyes, the sudden appearance of a figure standing on the platform came into view. The long dark curly lots alone would've told Paige everything she needed to know who it was; but the figure also stood in a stance where she had her arms folded as a sign of resentment. Swimming back to the surface, Paige took in a large gulp of air before combing her hair back to stare right back at Emily. Letting out a soft breath, Paige couldn't find it within her to look at the brunette for longer than she needed too. Tightening her jaw as she looked away, the brown eye girl slowly swam to the corner of the pool before lifting herself out; feeling the brunette's eyes roam all over her.

Unfolding one of the pool towels closest to her, Paige began drying herself off with her back still facing the heated brunette. There was no denying Emily was angry at how they left things outside. Stupidly thinking Emily would just walk away after having the kiss they shared outside, Paige cleared her throat before picking up her blouse and turning around. "Skylar was supposed to take you back to the safe house" the auburn girl finally stated as she placed the black blouse over her head; allowing it slid down her slender body. Continuing to dress herself as she didn't hear Emily answer, Paige simply continued. "Let me guess. You managed to work your Emily Fields powers and got someone on the team to tell you I was getting a room?"

There was something in Emily's eyes Paige couldn't quite make out. It was dark yet lustful. Paige could feel the intensity despite standing a good 12 feet away from her. Furrowing her eyebrows as Emily didn't acknowledge anything she was saying, the sudden movement the brunette made forced Paige to immediately put herself in a defensive stance as she watched as two throwing knives came hurdling her way. Dodging them quickly as she took a step back, Paige instinctively put her hands up as she gave Emily a confused stare.

"What? You think you can just kiss me the way you did outside then expect me to simply move on. That's not going to happen until you talk to me." Emily asked heatedly. "And the only way you seem to talk to people is if you're in danger" the brunette shouted out as she threw two more throwing knives at the weaponless girl. "So this is me attacking you. Think of it as my defense final- part 2 since you yielded the second I asked a question the dealt with your feelings"

Shocked at how blunt the brunette was acting, Paige knew Emily meant what she was saying as the knives she was throwing was at top speed. "Em, don't do this"

"All I want to do is talk. You kissed me and then decide to tell me there's nothing between us. You need to stop thinking of what's best for everyone else and think about what's best for you" Emily begged as walked closer toward the auburn girl before applying a sturdy thrust kick on the girl forcing Paige to cross her arms to block it before taking a step back.

"Don't do this" the auburn girl quietly stated as she gained back her footing.

"Why not?" the tanned girl asked as she performed a side kick with her rare leg, followed by a back kick and finally a quick jab when Paige managed to block all three tactics. "Why couldn't you just tell me you might of had feelings for me?"

Feeling a small scowl cross her lips at the memory, Paige didn't break out of the daze fast enough as Emily managed to perform two palm punches against her which caused her to lose her balance before witnessing the brunette perform an elbow jab right across her face; compelling her to fall on her right knee at the potency.

Gaining her back her control as Paige wiped her bottom with her right thumb only to see a smear of blood on it, the auburn girl looked back up directly into the brunette's chocolate brown eyes. Emily could feel Paige fuming as it forced her to take a step back. She honestly didn't mean to cut Paige. She just wanted the special ops officer to talk to her.

Paige didn't know at the moment what exactly what she was feeling. Watching Emily right before her attack her heatedly was in fact a turn on; especially since she was wearing such an chaste looking dress. Weeks ago, Paige wouldn't have bet on the girl knowing the first thing about self-defense; but here she was knocking her off her feet. Arching an eyebrow as she kept her stare on Emily, Paige got to her feet.

"Ok Em" the auburn girl stated coolly. "You want to talk? Let's talk"

Emily was startled and petrified at Paige's sudden cool demeanor. Just a second ago the brunette swore she had the upper hand, yet Paige stood right in front of her with what seemed like a smug look on her face. Swallowing as she tried to think of her next move, Emily needed something to keep their distance so decided to throw one last throwing knife she had at the auburn girl; only to watch in veneration as Paige somehow knew her intentions and caught it in mid-air before turning in a 360 to pick up speed; throwing it right back at her.

Smiling as she knew her aim right between the girl's legs were perfect; Paige slowly began walking toward the brunette as she watched in amusement as Emily tried to pull out the knife that pinned her dress to the wall; forcing her stay put. "I thought you wanted to talk" Paige stated seductively as she could feel out nervous Emily suddenly became.

The brunette could feel her heart pounding as she watched Paige look at her with such lust in her eyes. Swallowing to try to control herself, Emily finally managed to pull out the knife from her dress before throwing a quick upper punch followed by an upper front kick knowing Paige was going to block both attacks. "I…I want to know why you left. I need to hear you say it"

Nodding her head as she understood what the brunette wanted, Paige obliged. "I left because of how I felt for you" the auburn firmly stated as she watched as Emily's eyes widen at the confession. "I didn't know what I was initially feeling but I knew I wanted to stay in Rosewood. But then when I finally realized I did in fact have feelings for you, I needed to figure out how I was going to tell you. It wasn't until I saw you with Alison when I knew there was no need for me to be there anymore" Paige continued as she held the brunette's stare.

Emily began to feel herself tear up as the emotion caused her to lose some of her stability. Still heated, Emily asked her next question. "What exactly did you see between me and Alison that drove you away?" she asked before weakly throwing a straight punch.

Managing to grab Emily's punch before it came close to her, Paige was able to twist her wrist firmly behind the brunette's back; forcing Emily to turn and lean over one of the mahogany patio table's facing the mirror. Gasping as she felt Paige firmly press her body against hers, Emily flipped her hair toward the right as she glanced up to the mirror; only to find Paige holding her gaze as she lustfully focused on her.

"What would you like me to tell you Em?" Paige hoarsely whispered into Emily's right ear as her lips slightly grazed her skin. "That I watched how you kissed her? Would you like me to tell you how I watched you touch her?" she continued as her left hand slowly began grazing Emily's torso. "Would you like me to tell you how I watch your hand skim down her bare legs?" the auburn asked as she slightly lifted the brunette's dress to expose the girl's bare legs to mimic the memory. "Would you like me to tell how I watched you dipped your fingers into her shorts?" Paige asked again as her hands slowly made its way toward the brunette's undergarment; pressing her middle finger against Emily's soaking center. Parting her lips at the sensation, Paige watched as Emily let out quiet moan yet refused to let go of the auburn girl's gaze. "Were you this wet with her?" the auburn smugly asked as a small smiled appeared on her lips.

The second Emily saw that complacent smile appear across Paige's lips, she knew didn't want to give Paige the satisfaction of knowing what she could to do her without them trying to talk. Thinking of a way to push herself way from the auburn girl, Emily managed to weakly elbow the girl; allowing her enough room to apply a thrust kick. Paige was forced to move a few inches away; only making her more determined. Waiting for Emily to apply yet another jab toward her, the auburn girl didn't need to wait another second before the brunette did just that; giving Paige the opportunity to dodge them. Firmly holding the brunette's fists behind her back with her right hand as she forcefully pushed Emily against the wall behind them, Paige placed her right thigh directly between Emily's; forcing the girl to stay in place. Paige could easily feel the girl's wetness against her leg; forcing herself to hold back a moan as she held the brunette's impious gaze.

Refusing to let that stop her, Paige shifted her left hand toward Emily's left thigh as the new position managed to allow her raise the girl's dress further up; permitting her to graze her fingers along the girl's thong waist band. "You didn't answer me" the auburn stated as she looked directly in Emily's eyes before glancing down to her lips.

"No" Emily breathlessly answered as she felt her mind racing the second she felt the pressure of Paige's leg against her heated center.

"No what?" Paige asked.

"No" the brunette mumbled. "I wasn't this wet"

"Are you just saying that?" Paige ordered.

"No" Emily pleaded.

Nodding, the auburn girl continued. "How far did you get after that?"

"We didn't do anything" Emily begged.

"That day" Paige added before feeling her grip on the waist band of the girl's undergarment increase. "But how about after?" she asked as she watched Emily close her eyes as her heart dropped. Feeling how defeated the brunette was at the question, Paige knew. "I see" was all she was able to say before her anger gave out and she managed to rip off Emily's thong in one motion.

Gasping at the action, Emily widened her eyes as Paige simply replied "sorry". Forcing her right leg to go higher between Emily's legs, Paige had to lean her left hand against the wall for extra support. Relinquishing in the feel of the brunette's newly exposed area, Paige spoke up again. "Was it memorable?"

"No" Emily breathlessly answered.

"I didn't think it would be" was all Paige responded before finally letting go of the brunette. Taking a step back, Paige could see how heavy Emily was breathing; easily craving something more.

Paige could still feel Emily's wetness on her thigh. But she needed to know how different her life was going to be after tonight. What she has with Emily was something she didn't know how to prepare for and that scared her more than anything.

"You will never see me as more than that girl that just stomped on your heart and betrayed you" Emily replied as she looked Paige in the eyes. "I'm right aren't I?" she asked heartbrokenly.

Everything in Paige's body was screaming at the auburn girl to say something; to say anything. But Paige couldn't find any words to would make sense cognitively. Feeling herself begin to shake as the brunette was about to make her way past her and away from her, Paige couldn't allow that.

"I have always loved you" the auburn girl suddenly admitted as the statement forced Emily to stand still. "I will always love you. I should've told you the truth back then but I was scared of your reply since I knew how you felt about Alison. The more you realized your feelings toward her, the more I realized I couldn't tell you. And then seeing that kiss in the locker room broke me. It shattered everything" she continued as she watched tears begin to form in the brunette's eyes. "So I ran away. But now…I can't risk your life. I can't see you get hurt". Clenching her jaw as she saw Emily close her eyes as tears began trickling down her face, Paige felt her entire body tremble at the sight. That was the moment she knew what she wanted. "But I'm tired of fighting that. All I know is that I need you"

Grabbing the brunette by her left wrist, Paige turned her around before pinning her back to closest wall with her body. Raising her right hand to softly graze the bronze beauty's left cheek with her thumb; Paige looked deeply into Emily's eyes as though she was conveying everything she felt for to the girl in one look. Breaking her gaze away from the brunette's eyes, Paige finally glanced down at the girl's perfect lips before pulling the girl toward her and engulfing her with the kiss that sealed everything.

Both girls could feel the intensity of their love that they had for one another. They could feel the wanting and needing of each other's warmth. They could feel admiration and safety in each other arms. And yet it was a simple kiss. Pulling away for a second as Paige leaned her forehead against Emily's. "I knew I was in love with you in Ms. Nicolas's class and I have loved you ever since" the auburn girl finally confessed.

Watching as the brunette leaned up immediately, Paige found herself engulfed in pure bliss. What started off as a simple kiss soon picked up as the sexual tension both girls felt over the past few weeks began unwinding before them. Paige needed to get closer to the brunette; more than she was already. Licking the girl's bottom lip as she begged for access, Emily happily obliged as she felt Paige's tongue begin to memorize every bump and crevice of her mouth.

Leisurely grazing her fingers down the brunette's torso and over her perfectly round ass, Paige got to the Emily's toned thighs before easily lifting her; allowing the girl to wrap her legs around Paige skillfully. Letting out a moan as the act caused Paige's blouse to rise with Emily's dress, the brunette's pool of wetness was now resting right on the auburn girl's sculpted abs.

Shifting her kisses down Emily's lean throat, Paige continued placing heated ones along the brunette's collarbone as she began pulling down the straps of her dress to expose to the tanned girl's perfect breast. Slowing her kisses as she first focused on Emily's left breast, the brown eye officer skillfully worked her tongue around the brunette's harden nipple as she teasingly tugged on it with her teeth. Sucking immediately on it, Paige roamed her tongue over it one last time before shifting her attention over to the right side.

Paige was only encouraged to continue her act as Emily began to entangle her fingers within her hair. Pressing Paige's head closer toward her, Paige needed to taste Emily right then and there. Pushing them off the wall, Paige lifted Emily toward one of the closest patio table as she eased the brunette down without breaking their proximity. Giving Emily one last peck, Paige held the girl's gaze as she began shifting the brunette's legs farther apart; watching Emily's lips part at the sensation.

Slowly lifting Emil's dress to expose the very area causing Paige's mind to work on overdrive, the auburn girl continued to hold Emily's gaze as she lowered herself onto her knees. Gradually placing small kisses along the tanned beauty's thighs, Paige began sucking a little harder the further she made her way up as Emily was easily dripping in enticement. Reveling in the pure smell of Emily Fields, Paige let out a moan as she made her way toward the brunette's outer lip. Tasting how ready the brunette was, Paige simply licked the girl's right lip before sucking on it; driving Emily to arch her body at the sensation of Paige's lips in her. Switching over to the other side, Paige performed the same act on Emily's left lip before finally running her tongue directly down Emily's center as it drove Emily mad with desire.

Emily never closed her eyes. She watched as Paige was kneeled before her; right between her legs. Feeling the auburn girl skillfully use her tongue around her clit, sucking at the points she needed too, Emily felt as though she was going to faint the second she felt Paige's tongue finally enter. Entangling her right hand through the girl's hair even harder, Emily grazed her left hand around her left breast as she began touching herself in line with the girl's pace.

It didn't take her long before Paige felt the brunette's body slightly jerking; only telling her to pick up the pace before she finally felt Emily's body completely burst at climax. Licking her bottom lip, Paige made her way back up as a breathless Emily looked at with the same lustful eyes she started with.

"Tired?" Paige smugly asked as gave a quick kiss to the brunette.

Tasting herself within the auburn girl's mouth, Emily finally closed her eyes to revel in the sensation. "Not even close" she breathlessly answered.

"Good" the auburn replied as she pulled up Emily's dress to cover the brunette's well-endowed chest. "We're going to my room" Paige ordered as she gave the brunette a smile before pulling her off the table and toward the exit. Happily obliging, Emily simply followed in bliss as Paige pulled her toward the elevator bank. As the doors opened, Emily pushed Paige inside before pulling her into another heated kiss.

Paige couldn't wait much longer. She needed to feel Emily beneath her again, but this time in her bed. Lunging out the elevator as soon as it reached her floor, Paige pulled out her key card before finally finding her room. Immediately opening it, Paige pulled Emily in for a kiss, slamming the door behind her.

It was Emily's turn to fully take control of the situation. With a look Paige never saw in the brunette's eyes, she couldn't help but feel suddenly shy as she began walking backwards until the back of her knees hit the corner of the bed and she fell. Still keeping her eyes on Emily as she was slowly walking toward her; Paige parted her lips as the brunette placed her right leg right between hers and kept left leg on the other side of Paige's right leg; straddling the girl.

Gradually pulling off her white dress completely, Paige was in complete awe as the tanned beauty stood before her completely naked. Raising her hands to place them behind the brunette's smooth thighs, Paige gently began rubbing her thumb against the girl's silky skin as she watched Emily lean down to give her a kiss.

Feeling the brunette's right knee situate itself between Paige's legs, the auburn girl pushed herself further up the bed before lying down as Emily followed. Their kisses weren't as heated as before. They were full of love and compassion. As though they were trying to tell each other just how much they cared about each other through their kisses.

As Emily began to straddle the auburn girl below her, the brunette held the girl's gaze before slowly raising Paige's blouse as she slowly pulled it off completely. Combing her hair over to the right side, Emily leaned down as she gently began places small wet kisses along Paige neck before she began placing them down the girl's chest. Pulling down Paige's black laced bra, Emily skillfully began sucking on the auburn girl's right breast forcing Paige to lean her head back as she enjoyed the sensation of being in Emily's mouth.

Slowly opening her eyes as she felt Emily begin to descend downward, Paige watched as the brunette began unbuttoning the buttons her pants as she held the girl's gaze. Sliding her right hand directly into the auburn girl's black panties, Emily was immediately met with the girl's wet center as she dipped her middle finger into the girl's soaked opening before pulling it out and sucking on it as Paige could only watch.

Leaning down to place another heated kiss on Paige's lips, Emily knew the auburn girl would be able to taste herself as Emily still had the taste of her in her mouth. Hearing Paige moan at the sensation, Emily shifted her kiss toward the auburn girl's right ear before nibbling gently on it. "Let's see if you really do think there's nothing between us"


	18. Chapter 18

**Siophiefandom/CaliGrlFoLife/Guest1/EP/Guest2/EmGarretson22/naiel2017/Guest3/Guest4/Guest6/GirlfromGermany:** Thank you so much for the reviews! I'm really glad you guys liked the way everything turned out!

 **Pailyshark:** Hahaha, why thank you! And you're definitely giving me some ideas to think about for the next story. I'm honestly not even sure what the next one will about….but I'm trying to brainstorm.

 **Sofiadc66** : Of course Emily should have figured out her feelings. But honestly I do think we're so preoccupied with ourselves and what we think something is supposed to be we look pass the obvious. But if she did have more time…she would've figured it out. Unfortunately she was kinda robbed of it.

 **Guest5** : Hopefully this chapter would kinda clear up a few things on behalf of Emily

 **DarkBlueMint** : Sorry you didn't like the violence part. I thought it was only fitting given their situation. It's like a Mr. and Mrs. Smith scene. As for Paily's future…I have been hinting it a bit since I believe Chapter 6 maybe? I guess when I post the scene it'll make a bit more sense. I still can't help but laugh at your frying pan. Thanks as always for reviewing!

 **Whoopsidaisies** : I think I might be a little bias when it comes to Paige and Emily lol. When writing this story, I try to use their personalities from the show so when reading it seems more realistic. Unfortunately for Emily, since season 5 I've seen her as the type that would more with how she feels in the moment rather than seeing the bigger picture. She started going after whatever she wanted without regards for other people. Yet when Paige did it to her…she broke up with her. Thank you so much for reviewing!

 **Angry Emily:** Frustration, jealousy, confusion, misinterpretations all could drive a person to act a bittt out of character. The truth does set you free right? I'm sorry you feel as though it's unbalanced between the two. That wasn't my attention at all. I do realize I've made Emily more immature than I liked but I was going more with Emily's personality on the show from season 5.

 **Thecatfromaliceinwonderland:** Thank you as always for reviewing! I knew you would love that chapter. I've been also hinting since the beginning how the story will end ;) You shall see!

 **A/N** : SOOOO…how are you guys feeling about this season so far…IF you're even watching still?

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Pretty Little Liars or any of its characters**

A smile crawled across Emily's face the instant she felt those same smooth lips gently press a kiss right behind her right ear before lingering over her a few more seconds. Emily didn't need to open her eyes the moment she felt them. Finally having a chance over the last few hours to feel them against her skin, Emily managed to memorize every movement and touch they were able to make on her. Snuggling her head a bit further into the pillow she was sleeping on, the tanned girl finally turned her head slightly before opening her eyes to gaze into the chocolate brown eyes she's only been imagining of. "Morning"

"Morning" Paige replied in a raspy voice before leaning down to press a searing kiss along the brunette's swollen lips. The auburn girl still couldn't believe she was finally able to kiss the girl; let alone kiss her first thing in the morning. Last night seemed like a dream. A dream that kept replaying in her mind since the brunette closed her eyes in the early hours of the morning to finally get some rest. "How did you sleep?"

"Well thanks to you, I barely had an hour of rest" Emily sarcastically replied as she licked her lips to savor the girl's taste.

Leaning down to place another kiss on the brunette's lips, Paige smiled. "It sounds like your complaining"

Emily let out a small groan before turning around to finally lay on her back to get a better view of the girl before her. "I am". Feeling her throat constrict as she noticed Paige's eyes drift down to the thin white sheet, Emily knew it was the only thing between them. "I could have easily work off a power nap of 20 minutes. Just a heads up for next time"

"Next time huh?" Paige replied with a smirk.

"There better be a next time" Emily retorted with a smirk before sitting up to give Paige a quick kiss. Standing up to grab her white dress from the floor, Emily could feel Paige's heated gaze on her bare back; knowing she needed to fully take advantage of the situation. Turning right at the moment she felt Paige's gaze drift upward, Emily held the auburn girl's gawk before continuing. "I need to return a few favors"

Paige froze. As her lips parted at the sight of Emily Fields in her room completely naked; glowing after their night together. Paige simply forgot how to speak. Watching as Emily was purely enjoying the torment she had over her, the young officer cleared her throat before standing up; refusing to let go of the girl's gaze. Gradually making her way over the brunette, Paige bit her bottom lip before placing her hands on Emily's bare waist. "Noted" was all she was able to mumble before she engulfed the bronze beauty into a deep kiss; forcing Emily to drop the dress she was holding.

Paige was never one to need more than just a couple of hours of sleep. After years of having spontaneous missions, the auburn girl trained herself to only need just a few minutes to be fully functional. Waking up a few minutes earlier than Emily, Paige was able to call room service and order a few things off the breakfast menu to surprise the brunette when she had woken. However patience wasn't one of her strong suits when it came to certain things. As soon as breakfast arrived, Paige wanted nothing more than to wake the girl up and simply begin ravishing her all over again.

Leading the brunette back to bed, Paige climbed over Emily as she couldn't wait another second to feel her against her lips. Trailing her kisses toward the brunette's neck, down her collarbone, down to the tanned goddesses perfect chest, Paige could hear how demanding her moans were becoming.

"I wish we could stay like this all day" the brunette mumbled out as she held Paige's head closer to her. The second the statement left her lips, she could feel the auburn girl's face stiffen. Closing her eyes to control her emotions, Emily lifted the Paige's head to face her. "What is it?" she asked understandingly.

"I need to head back to quarters" Paige admitted as she apologetically looked down at Emily. "Our team spotted Claire just outside Waverly. We think Caminiti is around there"

Biting her bottom lip to try to hold back her jealousy that managed to engulf the brunette immediately, Emily slowly nodded. She knew Paige still had a mission, and that mission involved a certain chic girl. "Right, Claire"

"Em" was all Paige was able to get out before Emily slowly sat up from under her to grab her dress.

Combing back her hair with her right hand, Emily got up from the bed as she straightened out her dress. "I get it" she calmly addressed. Lifting her hair casually the right side, Emily used her fingers to comb through it over before making her way over to the breakfast cart. "Everything smells amazing"

Paige could easily see how affected Emily was by her statement. She could see how hard the brunette was forcing herself to be okay with her having to leave and seeing someone that was a possible threat in more ways than one. Clenching her jaw to figure out the right words, the auburn girl continued. "If I remember correctly you always like a good stack of pancakes" Paige replied with a side smile as she held the gaze Emily was currently giving her. "So I bought some raspberry and chocolate chip ones along with some bacon and omelets and good old fashion toast just in case you prefer that".

Slowly moving a bit closer to Emily in order to grab her by her waist from behind, the brunette in turn spun around so she could placed her arms around Paige's neck instead; pulling her closer to place another heated kiss on the girl's lips. Smiling as she felt Paige's tongue gently lick her bottom lip, Emily parted her lips just enough to meet the auburn girl half way before breaking the kiss. "You know, you could have given me some cereal and it would have been just perfect" she whispered.

"I prefer to give you some a bit hearty" Paige whispered back. "I swear to you, everything between Claire and I are strictly business. There's nothing going on there. I want you and only you"

Emily could feel herself tear up at the statement. Staring directly into the girl's deep brown eyes, the brunette could feel everything was going to be alright. Leaning her forehead to Paige's, Emily closed her eyes. "Thank you" she stated whole heartedly. "For everything. I know I've been a complete pain in your team's ass for the last few days" Emily began with a smile as she leaned back to look at Paige. "But you've been nothing but respectful. Especially after everything we've been through. I think other officers would have locked me in a cell to prevent any more stupid antics coming from me. But you…you had set aside your hurt and anger and allowed me to be. It's my fault we turned out the way we did back in high school" she continued as tears began forming in her eyes. "Maybe if I just sat for two seconds to piece everything together, we would have been together sooner. But I was selfish. I'm so sorry Paige"

"Em-" Paige simply said as she held her grip tighter around the brunette before being interrupted.

"I've always loved you. It just took me a little longer to realize it was love" Emily stated with a smile. "I do trust you. I trust you more than anyone. I know this is your job. And I know you will do anything to find my dad and Aria. I also know my reaction to certain missions you had were a bit…egotistic. But I was scared of losing you without having a chance to know how you felt about me or you knowing what I felt for you. So if you need to go, I completely understand. But it's not going to stop me from missing you. I'll be safe with the officers by the safe house"

The feelings coursing through both girls were more than either imagined. They felt loved. They felt needed. They felt complete. Nothing in that moment could take that away from either of them. After years of hiding behind their own emotions, everything was finally out in the open as they stood in each other's arms.

Wiping the tears that fell from Emily's eyes with her thumbs, Paige gently pulled the brunette closer as she gave Emily a kiss. It was a kiss different from anything they've felt. It was full of appreciation and cherish. It was warm and tender. It was though both girls were in their own utopia and no one could destroy it.

* * *

Clearing her throat before raising her hand toward the front door, Paige took in a deep breath before she finally got the courage to knock. Ever since she and Emily parted ways this morning, Paige couldn't think of anything else but how she would make it up to the brunette. She felt growingly nauseous by every passing minute she was away from Emily. She had never felt like that with anyone. All she knew was she had to be near Emily as soon as possible.

Finally coming up with a plan of her own, Paige made her way over to the safe house after her team's mission was over; silently hoping it was a certain brunette who would come toward the door. Unfortunately the appearance of Hanna added a certain hesitation in Paige's strategy. "Hey" the auburn greeted with a small smile. "Is Em here?" Paige continued as she followed Hanna into the house.

"Yeah, she hasn't left her room all day" the blue eye girl answered as she made her way back to the living room couch. "I'm beginning to think there's a smell coming out of there"

"Not funny at all" Paige replied as she glanced over toward the staircase before back at the blonde as she watched a small smile appear across her lips.

"What? It's a little humor" Hanna replied with a gigantic smile. "I figured you would of at least told me. No flowers for your sweetheart? I told you to mark my words one day McCullers!"

Nodding her head slowly at Hanna's reply, Paige drew her attention toward the staircase before making her way up toward the brunette. Feeling her heart pound harder as she noticed the door slightly ajar; the auburn girl quietly knocked as she pushed the door open.

"Hey, did your… _task_ end early?" Emily carefully asked as she snapped out of her daze and placed the National Geographic magazine she was reading down on the lamp table.

Smiling to herself, Paige threw a small Nike strap backpack over toward the brunette as she ignored the question. "Get dress. We're leaving"

Emily could sense the determination in Paige's voice meaning the auburn girl meant business. Confused at the sudden request, the brunette turned her focus on the girl. "What happened?"

"Just get dress and meet me downstairs" Paige simply stated as she leaned toward Emily to give her a quick peck before turning to close the door behind her. Paige waited only a few minutes downstairs before she noticed Emily at the top of the stairs; dressed as she asked.

"Are we leaving to Alaska or something?" the brunette stated as she made her way downstairs in a large fur cotton hoodie and cotton sweatpants along with a sturdy pair of boots. Quickly noticing neither Spencer nor Hanna were dressed and were in no rush to be leaving, Emily shot her toward the auburn girl as her eyes widened. "Why aren't the girls dressed?"

"Because it's just you and me tonight" Paige answered with a gigantic smile plastered across her lips as she opened the front door.

* * *

"Are you planning on killing me tonight?" Emily hesitantly asked as she looked out of the SUV window only seeing tree after tree after tree with no indication of any type of any city lights in sight. After driving for a few minutes in complete silence, the sudden notion of just how commanding Paige's job was finally dawned on the girl.

Paige knew how cryptic she was being, but she just didn't realize how daunting she was coming off. Smiling a little to herself, the auburn girl quickly glanced over at the terrified brunette before focusing back on the dirt path she was currently driving on. "Why are you being so grim?"

"I just want to know where exactly we're going" the brunette quietly asked.

"I'm hungry" Paige honestly stated as she kept her voice steady. "I don't know about you"

"Do you plan on eating me?" Emily rhetorically stated as she looked out the window.

"I really hope so" Paige honestly replied once more as she lustfully looked over at Emily to hold her gaze.

Arching an eyebrow at the auburn girl's response, Emily couldn't help but smile. "Paige, seriously"

"You said you trusted me right?" the auburn girl stated calmly. "Remember what we had to go through to watch those planes back home?"

"Yeah, but its pitch black" Emily stated.

"Which it needs to be" Paige said cryptically.

Bringing the SUV to complete halt, Paige placed it in park before cutting of the engine. Unbuckling her seatbelt, she took it off as she looked over at the nervous brunette. "Come on"

Furrowing her eyebrows in complete confusion, Emily unbuckled her seatbelt as she opened her passenger door to exit. Quickly realizing why Paige had given her the attire she was currently wearing, Emily folded her arms to keep herself warm before her vision adapted to the darkness.

"Give me your hand" she stated as she looked toward Emily.

"The Lookout Mountain? Are we allowed to be here?" Emily asked as she finally saw a sign of where Paige was taking her.

"Who is going to stop us? The park rangers?" the auburn girl asked with a small smile. "There's a trail right over here"

Not asking another question, Emily followed Paige as the two made their way up the dark wooden area. With nothing but the moonlight to guide them through the darkness, Emily made sure she never let go of Paige's hand. Fear of getting lost in the middle of the wilderness, the brunette had no idea what Paige was planning and why it was so secluded from everyone or everything else.

It wasn't until they made their way off the trail and onto a cliff which was where Emily finally pieced everything together. "It's absolutely breathtaking"

"A lot of people come to go hang gliding. We actually came here a few years back to practice our hang gliding technique before one of our missions. That was when I stood at the cliff and realized just how beautiful it was on its own" Paige stated. "You could see 7 states from here you know. I figured you find this place gorgeous…especially at night" she continued as she made her way over to behind one of the large pine trees; revealing a large picnic box. "I also figured since we were kind of rushed into eating breakfast this morning, maybe we could take our time and have dinner instead" Paige pacified.

Watching as the toned girl began spreading a thick a blanket onto the cliff side followed by a few cushions for them to sit on, Emily combed back her hair after feeling futile as she began helping Paige light a few heating lanterns. "Why are you so amazing?"

Paige arched her eyebrow as she heard Emily's question and stopped what she was doing to walk over to the brunette. "Because you deserve nothing less but just that"

"I honestly didn't think you would forgive me after everything I've put you through" Emily explained as she caught Paige's gaze. "I just -"

"Don't" Paige suddenly chimed in before gently placing a kiss on the brunette's lips to silence her. "We were both 17. I doubt I would have figured out what I was feeling unless Hanna pointed me in the right direction" the auburn continued as she knew what Emily was feeling. "I strongly believe in fate and timing. We weren't together back in high school for a reason. I would have never left Rosewood and I would have never figured out how to truly make a difference in this world. But I did. And now, I have you. I will never stop loving you". As she leaned in to give Emily a kiss, Paige made sure the kiss contained exactly how she felt about the brunette. After a few seconds, the pair parted as the coolness in the air visibly showed each other just how outbreath they were able to make each other. "Come on" Paige stated. "I tried to think back to all of your favorites. From the spicy lamb to the red potatoes and southern corn bread; it was kind of hard finding some over here since I hardly know Georgia" she explained as she began taking out their dinner.

"So you managed to think of all of this, just this evening?" Emily casually asked as she sat comfortably on one of the inner cushions.

"You mean since I was with Claire?" Paige asked with a smile as she tried to grab hold of the brunette's gaze. "We broke up" she answered nonchalantly.

Widening her eyes in disbelief, Emily stopped dishing out her dinner as she looked at the beauty in dismay. "What? Paige no! Please tell me it wasn't because of me" the brunette begged. Even though Emily wanted Paige to herself, she also knew what was at stake and why they were in this position. "We still need to find Aria and my dad"

"Relax" Paige smiled. "It was all part of the plan" Paige began as she placed her hand over the brunette's to calm her down. "Honestly, Claire is truly and amazing person and I hated dragging her along. I spoke to the team about it and that it wasn't fair to put her in such a position just because of who her father. The team agreed and figured we have enough information from her. Plus, now that I broke up with her, it's possible she'll go running to her dad"

"Was that the plan when you told me you needed to go headquarters this morning?" Emily asked.

"Yup" Paige revealed as her smile amplified. "I was also planning tonight the second I let you this morning. So after my morning with Claire, I spent the afternoon back at headquarters trailing her to see if Caminiti would make an appearance. I left a few hours early because I needed some time to make tonight perfect"

Nodding her head the extent Paige went to make tonight flawless made Emily's stomach flutter in pure ecstasy. "This place is just…breathtaking" she stated as she looked out to the night sky watching at just how insignificant it manage to make them appear. "Everything about tonight is just breathtaking"

"One of the miracles of nature" Paige replied as she looked around as the night sky managed to light up the entire area.

"A picnic under the stars. What a cliché" Emily smiled as she continued preparing her dinner.

"Oh shush. You know you're swooning" Paige stated.

"I really am" Emily seductively admitted. "I love it"

* * *

Wiping her mouth as she finished the last bite of her cornbread, Emily placed the napkin her plate as she leaned back. "That was so good"

"Good old southern food never disappoints" Paige agreed as she finished her last bite of red potatoes.

Leaning her head back even further, the brunette looked up at the night sky amazed at how every inch of it was full of stars. "So what are we looking at?"

"Ok, do you see that that blue and white color looking star right over there" Paige pointed out as she wrapped her arms around the brunette to make sure they were in the same line of sight. As felt a surge of goosebumps rush over her body, Emily nodded for her to continue she continued. "That is called Vega. Then you could easily see the Milky Way followed by that other star right there called Altair. Japanese legend says Vega fell in love with Altair, but when her father found out he forbade her to see a mere mortal therefore the two lovers were separated and placed in the night sky as the Milky Way always separated them which is seen as the Celestial River. However, each year on the 7th night of the 7th moon, a bridge of magpies is formed where the two lovers are reunited. But, just like every other love story, sometimes the trip is so dangerous Altair doesn't make it. Legend says Vega would cry out in agony. You could see her teardrops in the form of meteors during the Perseid shower" Paige concluded. Satisfied of her own story telling, the auburn girl began to feel flustered as she could feel the brunette's gaze on her. "You need to stop staring at me like that"

"Like what?" Emily asked seemingly confused.

"Like that" Paige pointed out as she held the tanned girl closer to her. Watching as Emily dipped her head a little in the croak of her neck; the sudden clench of the beauty's jaw brought a distress look to Paige. "What?"

The feeling of fluster along with shame dawned on Emily. She wanted to make sure everything between her and Paige were right from here on out. She knew she had to tell the girl truth. "I uhm" she stuttered. "I…do you remember that day when we were walking in the park back in high school and it began raining?"

"Vaguely" Paige admitted. "We shared an umbrella right?"

"Yeah" Emily confirmed. "Do you remember where your hands were?"

Scrunching her eyebrows a little at the brunette's question, Paige squeezed her fingers into a fist as she realized maybe she had made the girl feel awkward all those years ago without even realizing it. "Around you. Did I make you feel uncomfortable? Look I'm really-"

"It was the day I realized I did in fact have feelings for you" Emily blurted out as she interrupted the auburn girl's apology.

"What?" Paige asked surprisingly.

Clearing her throat to continue, Emily sat up a little as she kept her gaze on her hands. "It was the day I realized I had feelings for you but really understand it" she revealed instantly feeling as though she should have known better. "I was questioning myself that entire night wondering why I never saw you in a way that more than just a friend. You were perfect and yet I was so blinded. Alison was the one that brought it to my attention ironically enough and I didn't realize it till that day"

"So you kissed her?" Paige quietly asked not wanting to get the girl furthermore upset.

"I still had a crush on her" Emily admitted. "I mean, for how many weeks was I crushing on Alison? Then out of nowhere, all you did was wrap your arms around me while it was raining outside and I couldn't stop thinking you. About the way you made me feel. The goosebumps I got when your skin brushed mine. The way my breathing would change when I felt your cheek against my forehead. It wasn't like you never did that before. I mean we always hugged or somehow managed to brush each other. But that day…there was something about that day" Emily open heartedly confessed.

"Why are you getting upset?" Paige asked as she turned to face Emily.

"I'm not upset" Emily exclaimed as she looked up to the night sky. "I'm just frustrated. I was so stupid"

"Hey, Em-" Paige began before being interrupted once again.

"I kissed her because she kept nagging me about the way I felt about you compared to how I felt about her. At first I though the only reason why I was feeling like that was because we were graduating" Emily admitted. "I dated her because I thought it would fill the void of losing you"

"So you dated my enemy?" Paige asked confused.

"I was angry at you" the brunette stated. "I know it was immature…but I wanted you back. So I thought if you were pissed enough at me you would come back here and we could finally talk. But you didn't" the brunette quietly admitted. "You never came back"

Feeling her heartbreak at the girl's confession, Paige shifted closer as she brought Emily into a tight hug to ensure her everything was okay. "Come here, come here" she calmly stated as she wrapped her arms around the brunette. "I'm sorry. We were both kids; going through the same thing. I ran away like a child because you had a crush on someone and I couldn't take it. Timing is everything right?"

"But maybe if we were true to our feelings back then, then maybe we would have been here sooner" Emily replied.

"And maybe we would have broken up" Paige countered.

"So you're saying we wouldn't have lasted?" Emily asked as she distanced herself a bit from the auburn girl.

"I'm saying timing is everything" Paige repeated. "There was a reason we didn't date back then. But I am happy we're finally here. Absence does make the heart grow fonder"

Wiping a few tears from her eyes, Emily leaned in to give the auburn girl a tender kiss as she laid her forehead against the brown eye girl. "I do love you"

Paige clenched her jaw as a smile appeared across her lips. Looking right back into the Emily's eyes, Paige placed another kiss on tanned beauty's plumped lips before responding. "I know" she revealed. "I knew the moment you looked at me that first day we saw each other after 8 years back in Rosewood on that training field" she continued. "That's why I was completely speechless"

The feeling that came over Emily was completely new to her. It felt as though she was finally whole. It was as though she could conquer anything thrown at her just as long Paige was always there by her side at the end. Swallowing to control the sudden increase in her pulse, the brunette glanced down at Paige's perfect pink lips before looking back up in her deep chocolate brown eyes and leaned in to give her kiss. But again, it wasn't just a kiss; it was a declaration of the amount of love she had for her.

As the kiss intensified, Emily shifted to her knees as she began to lean over Paige. Gently grazing her thumbs across the auburn girl's smooth cheeks, the brunette allowed her fingers to get tangled in the brown eye girl's long auburn tresses. Breaking their kiss apart just for a second, Emily managed to catch the pure lustfulness in Paige's eyes before vigorously tilting her head back down for yet another kiss just as Paige managed to grab her thighs and lift them swiftly; placing them around her in order for the brunette to comfortably straddle her.

Grazing her hands up from Emily's thighs, Paige began to slide them under the brunette's thick hoodie as the instant connection of her fingers onto the girl's bare skin forced Emily to flinch. Shifting her kisses from Emily's lips toward her lean neck, the sudden sensation involuntary set out a throaty moan from the brunette's lips.

Paige couldn't take it anymore. She honestly thought they would take the pace a bit slower from the previous night. But now, with Emily in her arms under the perfect night sky she knew she couldn't do that. Moving her hands up furthermore, Paige diligently unclasped Emily's bra just as her hands continued upward to take off the brunette's hoodie. Flipping the tanned girl over to shield her for the chill in the air, Paige continued her kisses down Emily's neck as they made their way around her perfect breast.

Taking in Emily's right nipple first, Paige squeezed it between her teeth before sucking gently on them; forcing Emily's moan to become even louder. Arching her back as the thrill engulfed the brunette, Paige took the opportunity to skillfully graze her tongue around the girl's right breast before sucking right below her right nipple to leave a small mark. Kissing the hickey delicately, the auburn girl shifted over to the brunette's left breast as she managed to perform the same amount pleasure onto it.

Gradually descending her kisses along the rim of Emily's pants, Paige couldn't help but smile as she began feeling just how flustered the brunette was getting. Looking up to find same lust in the girl's eyes, Paige licked her lips as she began to slowly pull off Emily's sweats along with her black lace panties. Parting her lips as the brunette's soaking center opened wider as Emily parted her legs further, Paige arched her right eyebrow before crouching down to gently place kisses alongside the girl's long tanned legs.

Maintaining eye contact with Emily as her kisses made their way up the brunette's leg, Paige wanted to make sure she would be able to see Emily's face before focusing her attention to the spot Emily wanted. Grabbing a cushion to her right, Paige placed it right under the brunette as she pulled the beauty closer to her; giving her a newly exposed position as Emily was arched a few inches off the ground. Biting her bottom lip gently, Paige slowly leaned down as she gently licked the brunette's right lip before swallowing as Emily watched. Paige leaned down once more as she licked the girl's left lip and swallowed yet again.

Finally stiffening her tongue, Paige firmly pressed her tongue against the brunette's center; slowly licking Emily from the girl's opening right toward her clit. Holding the brunette's legs open as Emily's body involuntarily reacted to the action, Paige performed the act again; yet this time finally inserted her tongue in the girl's opening before bringing her right thumb toward Emily's clit as she began rubbing it at the same pace.

It only took a few seconds before Emily became undone; but Paige was far from finished. As Emily's body continued to respond to the orgasm below her, Paige shifted her body to fully cover the brunette. Since she still fully covered with her own sweats, the warmth gave Emily a new sensation combined with body reacting from the high.

Gently placing a kiss upon the brunette's parted lips, Paige felt Emily's arms wrap around her. Placing another kiss on Emily's left cheek, Paige continued as she placed another one on her left ear as she grazed her fingers down the brunette's side as they made their way toward Emily's soaking center. Biting down on Emily's left shoulder; Paige gently grazed two fingers along the brunette's opening before sliding them gently inside the girl and waited for her reaction. With Emily's body arching at the new feeling, Paige slowly began pumping her fingers in and out before adding a third finger easily. The brunette's body began moving in rhythm as Paige added a fourth finger; pumping even faster as she felt Emily's hands grab onto her tighter as she managed to have yet another orgasm.

Out of breath, Paige rolled off of the brunette before grabbing a blanket and wrapping it around them as she held Emily. Placing a gentle kiss upon the brunette's right temple, the auburn girl couldn't help but smile.

"I thought I was supposed to pay you back a few favors from last night" Emily huskily stated out breath.

Laughing lightly, Paige held the girl closer. "We have plenty of time for that"


	19. Chapter 19

**Guest1/EP/Siophiefandom/GirlfromGermany/Guest2/whoopsidaisies:** Thank you so much! Hope you like the next update!

 **DarkBlueMint:** I'm not too sure how surprised you'll be when the ending comes BUT I do think it'll make perfect sense. Thank you for always reviewing! As for pll, I think I should follow your lead…unless I could use that frying pan.

 **Pailyshark:** Thank you for the help! I loved thinking up the whole date scene! I'd melt too! Thanks for the review!

 **Sofiadc66:** lol! I needed at least one chapter of pure pailyness…it's only fair! I was thinking of making Claire's part last longer buttttt she did get the point I needed across. Not only for Emily to get that push she need but I think you'll see why in this chapter. AH, I should have warned you about the flashback scene…there's only one left. Love makes us act out of character sometimes. We can't help it. We can only try to explain. So she'll be owing Paige favors for some time. Thank you for the review and PM!

 **Thecatfromaliceinwonderland:** Hahaha, well I guess we'll have to see. I needed to make sure there was at least one chapter where the girls could finally come clean about everything. They've been hinting at certain things throughout the story, but I figured it was only fair for them to have an honest conversation. I liked Claire too! But she diddd have another purpose besides getting Emily all riled up. Lol! I don't know why I just find it so fascinating to hear stories about the night sky. The small myths surrounding us. I can't help it! Glad you liked it as well. There was a Stars Wars moment!? I haven't seen the new one yet! STOP THAT! What was it!? OOOO I'm kinda shipping Spaleb too! But that's all I really find curious about the show anymore sadly. I'm shipping the 100 a bit more. Thanks as always for the review!

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Pretty Little Liars or any of its characters**

"McCullers. Is that a smile I see?" a tall lean man greeted the auburn girl as he spotted Paige walking toward the front door.

Paige knew she had been smiling since she picked up Emily for their date tonight. There was no denying how content she was by the mere thought of the brunette. Thinking maybe she could hide it from her team for a while, Paige was immediately mistaken when her own doorman that she only knew for two days could tell how happy she looked. "You're a funny man Kinley" she stated as she took off her hoodie in the large lobby. Despite feeling the heat rise in her cheeks as a young man managed to call her out about the way she was feeling, Paige pressed the escalator button before looking around; realizing there was no officers guarding the entrance. Paige quickly grasped something was wrong. "Where are the other officers?"

"They left about 2 hours ago" Kinley answered. "I believe they were trying to get in touch with you but weren't able to get through" the young man stated as he took off his gendarme hat. "If I'm not mistaken, they left you a few voicemails"

Hastily taking out her phone to take a look at her screen, Paige didn't recall feeling or hearing any calls or messages come in. Paige knew they were in the middle of the wilderness along with the fact that they were at the peak of a mountain; any type of signal normally received for cell phone service would be out of reach. "Shit. They're messages are coming in now. Do you know what it was about?" she asked as she began dialing Aiden's number as she saw she missed 7 calls from the lead of the team.

"I'm not positive ma'am. But they did keep saying the name 'Caminiti'" the slender man informed the beauty as he looked on as Paige held her phone to her ear.

"Aiden, it's me" the brown eye beauty addressed.

"Finally" the team lead acknowledge; relieved as he heard Paige's voice. "I've been trying to get in touch with you for the past few hours"

"I was out of cellphone range. What's going on?" Paige asked as she her demeanor suddenly became professional.

"Hastings told me Emily is with you" Aiden stated. "Please tell me she's still by your side"

The statement alone sent a surge of panic through the auburn girl as she quickly exited the building. "She was, but I just dropped her off back at the safe house. Why?" she asked as she headed directly for her SUV.

"Head over there now" Aiden calmly ordered. "Spencer and Hanna are at the base with Dylan and Skylar"

Paige knew by the tone of her team member's voice, something was wrong. She could feel her heart pounding even more at the fact that Emily was left alone back at the safe house. "What's going on?" she asked as she entered her vehicle.

"We'll explain once you get there" Aiden acknowledged. "The rest of us are in the middle of getting back to base but we'll re-route and meet you at the safe house. Don't panic P"

* * *

Paige felt as though she couldn't breathe. The second she saw the safe house front door cracked open, she knew something was wrong. Immediately arming herself with her side gun, Paige looked around for the other three officers that were supposed to be watching the house as she carefully entered the area. Pushing the door open, Paige felt her jaw clenched tight as the entire area in complete disarray. Paige knew the worse scenario had happened. _Emily was taken_. What started off as one of the best days in her life, was going to end as one of her worse.

"Em" was all Paige was able to get out as she felt her throat go completely dry. Slowly at first, the auburn girl made her way room by room; frantically looking around at every closet and cabinet for the brunette. Paige began to feel the severity of the situation dawn on her before she began screaming out for the girl. "Emily! Emily!" Carefully unlocking the pantry door in case any was hiding in there, the young officer ran upstairs as she dialed back to base. "This is officer McCullers back at the safe house on Carey Drive. Send back up immediately" she ordered. Pushing open Emily's room door, the sudden appearance of two of the three officers that were supposed to watching over the safe house came into view as they were unconscious on the floor. "Officers down and a civilian has been taken"

Everything Paige was afraid of was coming true. She didn't even have a day of being in bliss knowing she had Emily. Instead, the brunette was taken the second she managed to drop her home. She should have went in to make sure everything was safe. But Emily didn't want that. The brunette insisted they should at least have just one day to act as though everything was normal. The two had just went out on their first magical date together. After hours of total and utter ecstasy, Paige would take Emily home. Kiss her good night. Wait until she went in. And then drive away. _This_ was why Paige always convinced herself of why she could never be in a relationship. "Emily! Emily!" she screamed out yet again.

Paige felt her throat constrict as her eyes began throbbing. She wanted to scream and shout, but knew she couldn't. She had to keep calm. She had to think practically. Emily was depending on her. Thinking to herself, Paige suddenly thought about the third officer. _Where was he?_ Paige remembered holding his eye contact as he kept watch after dropping Emily off. He had to be there. Running back outside to find the officer's SUV, Paige slowed her pace as checked around the vehicle for any traps before finally opening the driver's side of the door.

As the officer's body gradually fell to ground the second the door opened, the auburn girl could see the blunt force drama to his head. _He must have been the first one attacked_. Gasping at the scene, Paige knelled down to see if she could a feel a pulse; closing her eyes as she couldn't. Taking in a deep breath to calm her nerves, the brown eyed officer ran back inside; making her way back to Emily's room as she tried looking for any clues the brunette might have left her. Paige knew Emily was focusing on surviving given how messy and thrown everything was displayed around the entire house. It looked as though she was taken once she got in her room. Trying to get out of the kidnappers clutches, Paige could see she had ran over to the bathroom but the culprit managed to break open the door to drag her out, through the kitchen and out of the house.

After leaning down for a few seconds, the auburn girl managed to spot the old crochet Batman she had given Emily a few years ago. Picking it, the auburn girl clenched her jaw as she suddenly heard her name being shouted from downstairs. "Paige!"

"What the hell is going on?" the auburn girl asked shakenly as the appearance of her team stood before. "Was Caminiti's men watching us this entire time?"

It was obvious Skylar was beginning to get just as emotional as the auburn girl. With tears filling her eyes at the distress her team member was in, the hazel eye beauty walked a bit closer to the team's co-lead; confirming her fear. "It seems that way"

"What did you guys find?" Paige asked the team tech directly as she glared directly at Skylar.

"We had gotten a hit off of one of the locations Claire mentioned to you" Aiden stated before walking toward his co-lead. "That's where we were. It turned out to be Caminiti's main repository"

Swallowing at what was just revealed, Paige tried to keep composed. "What exactly did you find?"

"You" Aiden revealed earning a confused looked from the auburn officer. Watching as Paige's body became rigid at the statement, he continued. "Pictures upon pictures of you" he explained as he took out a vanilla envelope of a few of the pictures and handed it over Paige. "Pictures of when you were younger. Pictures of when you in college. Even pictures while you were with Claire". As Paige looked closely to all the pictures from her past, Aiden needed to point out the obvious. "Which is why we had a feeling he was going to take Emily next"

Licking her bottom lip to control her pulse, Paige needed to know more. "Where exactly did he take her?"

"Georgia" the well-built team lead acknowledged. "That's as far as we have so far but our team in Georgia is working on it as we speak. Our Boeing is set to go to the Navy Base to meet Commander Murphy. His men are currently looking for any sign of Caminiti. We also placed officers around your parent's house back in California as a precaution"

Nodding in agreement, Paige knew they needed to move fast as they only had a bracket of time in order to get Emily back. Paige could only feel her body moving on autopilot as her ears were ringing in complete fear. Everything around her was happening in slow motion. She watched as officers ran passed her to get to the brunette's room to check on the two unconscious officers. She watched as there were a few others taking pictures around the house. She watched as the SUV siren lights were reflecting off of everything outside the house. In that moment, only one question was in her mind. _What did I do?_

* * *

"We're going to find her" Skylar calmly stated as she looked at the auburn girl who seemed to be in a complete daze about the entire situation. Skylar had gotten closer to Paige more than any other officer on the team. She knew all the looks Paige had. She knew when she was determined and focused. And she knew when the girl was scared and restless. But only recently had she began to see a different side of the auburn girl. A side only Emily had seemed to bring out of the girl. Skylar could feel it the moment they were near each other. She knew how deeply Paige had cared for Emily. And she knew the officer was probably beating herself up about the situation. After watching Paige walk back from talking to Emily outside of the award ceremony, Skylar knew she could not just have the girl walk away from the love her life. Hinting to Emily where Paige would be that night, the hazel eyed officer told the rest of the team the two girls needed to work things out. She was overjoyed she did. The look on Paige's face when she came to work the next day was something Skylar never seen before; and completely loved. Grabbing the girl's hand gently, Skylar continued. "Paige. Look at me" the hazel eye beauty pleaded as she gently cupped Paige's cheeks. "We're going to find her"

As the team made their way out of the plane, Aiden was immediately greeted by what seemed to be the commanding officer of the base. "Officer Weaver I presume?" the burly man welcomed as he walked up to the Boeing plane that just landed. "Good to see you"

Aiden stretched out his hand to give the commanding officer a hand shake as he responded. "I wish it could have been under different circumstances. Have you found anything on our suspect yet?"

"Possibly" he answered earning him the attention of Paige. "When you guys left we continued searching and found the location of a house Caminiti could possibly be staying at. However, we don't have any verification he's actually there"

"Where is it?" the auburn girl demanded from behind Aiden.

"John's Creek" Commander Murphy replied. "It's about an hour away by plane heading north"

"Do we have any information of who or what is actually in there?" Dylan asked as he tried to get as much information as he could as the team eyes. The team had no time to waste. Any information they could gather as they were getting set for their next mission they needed to use to their fullest advantage.

"My men noted movement of about 5 people" the middle aged man answered.

Aiden was taken aback by how unsecure Caminiti seemed to be. "Are you sure? That seems significantly low if this happens to be the location of Caminiti; a man running from the law. Did you verify if there were any other secret entrances or rooms or anything to the house? "

"Given our time constraint, we weren't able to confirm anything" the commanding officer replied. "But I do believe this is a trap"

"Trap or no trap we need to get there" Paige ordered.

Scrunching his brows at the sudden outburst of his co-lead, Aiden had to put the officer back in place. Turning around he gave the auburn a scowl look. "McCullers"

"Did you not see that house?" Paige countered. "Emily had to have put up one hell of a fight for that to go down. We need to find her"

"And we will" Aiden simply replied. He knew Paige was getting worked up, but he also needed her to see the situation at hand. "You need to calm down and think straight. We can't just go barging into a trap and get gunned down" Aiden tried to explain. "What good are we to Emily if we're killed in the process? She's depending on our experience to get her home safely"

"Then let me go there. At least we'll find out if that is where they're being held" the auburn girl replied coldly.

Aiden was more than frustrated with Paige's demeanor. This wasn't the girl he knew for the last few years. This was the Paige who initially signed up to be an officer. The Paige who was a confused little freshman who had no direction of where she wanted to be. Paige was acting as though she forgotten everything she was trained for. Two steps away from ordering the auburn girl to stand down, Aiden knew he couldn't do that to her. So he became a bit more direct as he fully turned to face the girl. "Hey. You need to follow protocol. There's a team for a reason. We'll get Emily out of there safely okay?" he asked as Paige looked at him with distressed eyes. "It's obvious they're going to use her against you so they're not going to kill her. You need to trust us. Trust your team. We've been through far worse situations where the five of us were separated. We'll get Emily back. I promise you that. Right now thought, you are the target. Caminiti is going after you and we don't know why. Aria, Emily's dad and Emily were taken because of their connection to you"

"Then trade me for them" Paige suddenly stated.

"Paige!" Skylar yelled as the team couldn't believe what they were hearing.

"I know it sounds senseless, but it could work" Paige began as she defended herself. "If they want me, let them have me. I have the knowledge and skills to be in that situation. And at least we know what we're working with"

Turning to the rest of the team, Aiden took in a deep breath to try to figure out if there was another way to get Caminiti. But there was no time to waste. "Suit up. We'll stake out the area" he instructed. Turning to the first officer on his right, the team's lead began giving his orders. "Dylan, we need eyes and ears inside and out of that area. Find out who exactly we're dealing with in there and what exactly they have. Dave, find our way inside and our escape plan. I need to know if there's a trap door in the basement or if there's a tunnel that leads to some park. We need to make sure no one is going to sneak up on us or use to our advantage to get out of there. Skylar, locate all tech inside that building we could use against them. We need to make sure we could shut off the lights if need be or turn off their way of communicating with anyone outside that house" he simply instructed. "We're getting back our civilians today"

* * *

With the team completely surrounding the house at all angles, Aiden watched thoroughly from the front of the house with his binoculars knowing they needed to get into that house; hoping everyone they were looking for were all in there. "Eagle come in" he commanded quietly as he hid on the top of a large tree by the front of the house. "Do you have eyes on the target?" he asked as he couldn't see anyone from his angle.

"Eagle to Lion" Dylan acknowledged quietly as he hid himself from view behind a large bolder located at the far right side of the house. "No sir. We have movement but no verification it's Caminiti" the team eyes replied as he kept searching for any sign of the mass trafficker from his view. "But I do only see the five men initially indicated. Firearms on each have been detected"

Aiden knew they couldn't stay outside the house for too long. If they were going to attack, this was the time. After a few more minutes of not having any verification Caminiti was in fact inside the house, Aiden began thinking it was possible Caminiti had a hidden room he was keeping the civilians. "Lion to Eagle and Wolf, find aim" he ordered Dylan and Skylar. Watching as Dylan had his shot bow aimed inside one of the large windows to the right of the house and Skylar take aim with her axe pistol to the left side of the house, the team lead continued passing orders. "Lion to Jag and Shark, get in position" he ordered Dave and Paige as he watched the two begin to slowly and quietly enter the house from two different windows on the second floor. "Lion will go through the back. Team, be careful and remember…we got each other"

As the team locked onto their respective targets, they each gave Aiden their validation.

"This is Shark" Paige initiated. "Eyes on first target. Upstairs guest bedroom"

"This is Jag" David followed. "Eyes on second target. Upstairs master bedroom"

"This is Eagle" Dylan continued. "Eyes on third target. Lower level dining room"

"This is Wolf" Skylar trailed. "Eyes on fourth target. Lower level living room"

And then finally, Aiden gave his own validation. "This is Lion. Eyes on fifth target. Backroom den" he confirmed before finally giving the order his team awaited for. "Remember, we need them alive. On my count. 2…1"

With that order, the team pursued their intended targets. Paige immediately hurled four throwing knives at her target to try to disarm the gunman which worked brilliantly. Using her skills of martial arts, the auburn effortlessly did a flying back kick into the muscular man's side which brought his hands up defensively which Paige managed to use to her advantage as she follow with a Brazilian kick to the gunman's head; causing the man to be unconscious upon impact. Paige was satisfied she didn't need to arm herself with her machetes as she was easily able to put the culprit into handcuffs. "First target disarmed" she indicated into her earpiece.

Following behind her, Dave easily used his double blade staff along with his skills of martial arts to take down his own target. After shoving the gunman back with his staff, the raven hair man managed to disarm the gunman. Performing a palm strike directly to man's chest, David followed up with a side kick to the man's ribs; easily breaking them to bring the suspect down. "Second target disarmed"

"Third target disarmed" Dylan soon indicated as two of his arrows when straight into his target's hands to not only disarm the gunman but brought him to his knees as the team's communicator handcuffed the perpetrator.

Tossing her axe pistol to the wall near the fourth culprit, Skylar managed to distract the gunman before coming in swiftly with a knee kick to the man's chest before performing a few direct punches toward the man's upper body and finally finished him off with a direct upper punch to the man's throat. "Fourth target disarmed"

After a few seconds of not hearing Aiden, Paige took over command. "Aiden report" she ordered into her earpiece. As the line remained silent, the auburn girl looked toward Dave before they each brought their targets downstairs near Skylar and Dylan before arming and positioning themselves to find Aiden.

As the team made their way into the den, they soon found themselves walking back to where they came from with their weapons locked on a new target; a target currently holding a blade to their team lead's neck. "Dark auburn hair. Big brown eyes. And a body that would drive any man…or woman absolutely crazy" the gauntly man described as his eyes narrowed onto Paige. "You must be Ms. McCullers. I've heard a lot about you"

"And who do I have the pleasure of speaking too?" Paige replied as she held four throwing knives in her hand; ready to attack. "I know you're not Caminiti"

"You would know given you were the one who brought him in. No wonder he paid so much attention to you. He does like them a bit…lively" the middle aged man answered with a smile. "But I can take you to Caminiti. I know he would love to see you again"

Taken back by the offer, Paige straightened her back as she looked directly at Aiden at the proposal. This was in fact a trap. It was all a rouse to get to her. Parting her lips for a split second, Paige tightened her jaw before licking her bottom lip. She soon heard Aiden speak on her behalf. "The only place you're going to is a dark hole"

Laughing at how brazen Aiden seemed to be with a knife being held to his neck as his other arm was folded behind his back, the lean man had to admit the young officer was bold. But he wasn't here for him. "I'm not here for your team. I'm here for you" he revealed as his attention focused solely on Paige. "If you would like to take me back to base, I guess you won't be able to rank your eyes over that delicious body of your girlfriend's again. Emily right?" the man continued as the auburn girl's eyes widen at the mere mention of Emily. "Too bad. But I'm sure a few of my friends will help keep her warm at night to fill that void"

That was all Paige needed to hear before with withdrew her weapons.

"McCullers, don't!" Aiden shouted just as 30 men came rushing into the house holding their weapons; each directed at one member of the team; forcing all members to withdraw their own weapons. As the man holding Aiden shoved the muscular officer away from him, the men surrounding the team began focusing on Aiden as well. The gauntly man simply gave Paige a small smile along with a nod to follow him out the house.

Taking in a deep breath before she followed, Paige looked at her team members one last time. Tightening her jaw as she looked each one in the eye at her decision, the auburn girl needed them to understand why she was doing this before following the man outside. She didn't know what she was getting herself into, but she knew the team's best bet was for one of them to get kidnapped so they had at least one person by their targets. With her head down, Paige walked out the backdoor without a second glance back.

"Paige!" was the last thing the auburn girl heard from Skylar right before hearing Caminiti's men began to attack the other members within the house.

* * *

Emily was beyond petrified. She didn't know where she was or who took her; but she knew she couldn't show any fear in her eyes for the sake of survival. The only thing keeping her steady was the notion Paige would be looking for her. Looking around at the vast empty space before her, the brunette squinted her eyes as she began realizing the area seemed to be an old abandoned cafeteria. Hearing firm footsteps from behind her, the beauty held onto the arms of the chair tighter to control her distress.

"Wow, you really are more beautiful in person. No kidding Paige would fall for someone like you" the middle aged man stated with a small smile. If Emily didn't know any better, she would have probably seen this man down the street and not have a second thought he would be behind an attack like this. But after seeing his pictures endlessly for weeks, the brunette knew exactly who was speaking to her. "Despite those bruises. They look like hurt a bit" the built man stated a little concerned as he pointed out the gash above the brunette's right eye and lower lip. "I'll talk to my men and make sure they go easier on you next time even if you do try to fight back. After all, you aren't the one that I want. You just happened to be a bystander" he continued. "Where are my manners? I'm Caminiti, I'm pretty sure you've heard a thing or two about me"

"Where is my dad and Aria?" Emily simply asked as she looked Caminiti directly in the eyes.

"Your dad? And Aria? Oh right right, your friend. Back at Rosewood right" the blue eye man asked with a smile before standing up. "I'm pretty positive they should be the least of your worries right now"

Refusing to show any sign of fear, Emily continued to look directly at the man who was the reason for this entire case. "You think I'm scared of men like you?"

"Oh no" Caminiti replied with a small smile. "That's not what I meant. I'm sure you've had your fair share of sleaze ball men after you" he continued before walking over to a small table toward the right side of the room to pour himself a drink. "I only meant your dad and your friend should be the least of your worries" he stated taking a sip. "I just picked up someone who'd kind of trump all of them"

Emily's eyes widen as she realized the meaning of the man's statement. _Paige_. Immediately thinking to herself that the auburn girl was possibly attacked the same way she was, Emily knew Paige would have easily brought herself out of a situation like that. "I doubt that"

"Really?" the man in charged said with a wide smile. "You have that much faith in that girl taking me down?"

"I do" Emily answered without hesitation.

Taken aback by the honesty of the brunette, Caminiti simply nodded. "Well how about this? What do you think about the fact that your Paige just surrendering to me at the mere mention of us grabbing you?"

Emily could feel her heart drop at the possibility of Paige doing that. Licking her lips with a hint of despondency in her eyes, Emily knew Paige would do anything to make sure she was safe; especially after everything they've been through recently. Feeling her eyes begin to fill with tears, the brunette tried to keep herself at bay. "She wouldn't do that. She has a team. They follow protocol"

"Well lucky for me, I know her weakness" the middle age man said in happy whisper. "But don't you worry. Just sit tight. You'll be seeing her in no time" he simply stated before making his way back out the room; leaving Emily to contemplate the possibilities of what may happen to her.


	20. Chapter 20

**Siophiefandom/Pailyshark/alaskinder:** Yup! He got just a tab bit angry with Paige and wanted her to suffer. We just need to see what Paige has up her sleeve.

 **EmGarretson22:** Why thank you! I hope you like where I take it. I mean this story was mainly about the Paily journey after all right? Thank you for the view!

 **Warrior29** : Thank you so much for reviewing! Hope you like the new update.

 **Guest1** : Hahaha, are you curious to know where Paige learned her moves?

 **Sofiadc66:** It's always a pleasure reading your review's and PMs! You will most definitely find out what Paige decides in the end. Everyone's of interest! They all have their significance for the story. You'll see what happens to the team! I'm pretty emotional about the story ending as well. But hopefully I'll get bored at work and daydream up a new crazy story. I'll always thank you for reviewing!

 **Guest2:** Sorry about that cliffhanger! It had to be done! Hope you like the next update!

 **DarkBlueMint:** Why thank you for your frying pan. I think I might follow you this week and not watch Pretty Little Liars. I mean the last episode seemed like a filler type episode. I don't know how to describe it. I kinda moved onto the 100 now. Aw don't hit Paige just yet! We know she knows better and probably has something up her sleeve. Love makes us do crazy things right? And yeah…Caminiti is kinda crazy when it comes to revenge.

 **GirlfromGermany:** Thank you as always the review! I'm really glad you like the story!

 **Guest3:** Hope the wait wasn't too long!

 **Thecatfromaliceinwonderland:** You didn't get that wrong at all! Caminiti only seeks revenge. It's crazy the story is coming to end but thank you for always reviewing and encouraging me! I DO remember that scene from Star Wars after you pointed it lol. Look at that! I kinda feel honored for it. Hope all is well!

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Pretty Little Liars or any of its characters**

Paige could still hear the ringing in her ears even after several minutes of being slammed around in the back of a truck she was taken in. With her head completely covered in a thick wool bag, the auburn girl didn't know where she was being taken; she didn't even know if she was being taken to where Emily, Aria or even Commander Fields were. All she knew was that she had to make the most of the situation.

While her sense of sight was obscured in the van, she had her other four senses. Taking in a deep breath, Paige immediately picked up on the musky scent; noting the place Caminiti was probably hiding in was old or possibly underground. Paige could also feel several pair of hands grabbing her arms as they dragged her toward their intended destination; knowing she'd be severely outnumbered once she got to the that destination. Listening carefully to the sounds surrounding her, the auburn girl knew exactly how long it took for the SUV to exit off the highway as the sounds of vehicles began getting fainter the further away they drove. Finally there was taste. Licking the wool bag around her face, Paige tried to figure out what she was tasting. For some reason, there was a hint of wheat hitting her taste buds; as though the bag once held brown rice. But Paige couldn't be sure.

Paige didn't know what any of these pieces meant nor did she know what to expect. Of course she knew she was risking her life as it showed already with several bruises across her face and upper body as the men handling her had made sure she wouldn't have enough energy to fight back. But this was all for Emily. This was her friend and her father.

After estimating about an hour of driving, Paige was quickly forced out of the SUV and brought in to the venue to sit down on what seemed like a cold metal chair as the men finally took off the wool bag; exposing the new territory to the girl. Adjusting her eyes to the bright lights surrounding her, Paige had to blink a few times before finally grasping the situation she was in. Counting about 6 men surrounding her and another 4 outside the double doors of the room, Paige knew she was in what seemed to be an abandoned cafeteria room. With her hands, body and feet tied to the chair; there seemed to be no escape in sight. Paige knew the men already body searched her for any visible weapon on her. Any tool she could use to get out of the situation was out of the question as she now solely depended upon the skills she knew.

"Ms. McCullers" a sturdy voice suddenly greeted happily from behind her. "Pleasure to finally meet you again in person after all this time" the middle aged man continued as he finally came into view. Even though it was a year ago, Paige felt as though he had seen the man just yesterday given the fact that she's been looking at his pictures nonstop over the last few months. "You know, the second I found out your team pieced together that I was the one that kidnapped your friend, I need to admit I could not wait for this moment"

Watching as Caminiti took a seat in front of her, Paige made sure to keep her face neutral. Any sign of emotion would give away her own intentions. "Why didn't you just come after me then? Why did you have to kidnap these people?"

Laughing at such a question, Caminiti replied. "Why? Where's the fun in that?" he asked as he got up to make his way toward the double doors. "You know, I think you should be thanking me actually. I mean…I am the reason why you finally got together with that gorgeous brunette of yours" he revealed. Stopping in his tracks as he heard Paige fighting to get out of her seat, he could help but laugh a bit more before grabbing a blind folded Emily and dragging the feisty brunette to another metal seat across from the auburn girl. "Aww, why are you both so angry?"

"If you touch her-" Paige stated in a husky voice before being interrupted.

"Touch her?" Caminiti asked. "No no no no no no. I mean I have to admit again" he began as he took off the blindfold from the tanned beauty's eyes. "Ever since they brought her in, I have wanted to taste her. But I thought of my daughter" he sternly replied as he firmly held Paige's dark glare. "You remember her right? Claire?" the built man began as he threw the unused blindfold on the floor before making his way to a tray of what seemed to be old rusty hospital instruments. "Even though she found out she was being used, she didn't want to have revenge. She just wanted to be left alone" he bared as he picked up a scalpel. "Of course I know my own daughter. She says she doesn't want anything to do with the family business, but I know better. You shouldn't have brought my daughter into this."

Widening her eyes in fear, everything Paige was taught to do was thrown out the window. It was clear just how important the brunette meant to the girl. "Just let her go. Let them go. You have me"

"Let her go?" the sturdy man asked as he turned to face the two girls. "Let _her_ go? Again, why would I do that? You see that facial expression you have right now?" Caminiti pointed out as he took a seat right between the girls. "That's what was worth all of this. You took everything from me. Not your team. You." Sliding his seat closer to Paige, Caminiti made sure all she was able to focus on was him. "I honestly didn't know how you did it…how you found me. But my guys tell me you're some sort of science geek. They told me you were able to catch me by a single fiber from the lining of my coat. _Vicuna_. Now that's impressive. Not only were able to narrow down the fact that I was staying in Peru, but down to the precise area. Ergo me leaving you a little gift back at Rosewood" Caminiti revealed as he stood up with the a smile. "You remember the Elymus Virginicus right? You really thought you'd just happen to find it on a boot print? Come on now. If you could figure out my location back then, this should have been cake to you now" the muscular man stated as he went back to the hospital instruments. "You took my financials. My reputation. My family. My life. And now I'm going to take everything of yours. Starting with Emily Fields" he stated as he pointed the scalpel at the brunette. "The fucking light in your eyes"

"Don't you touch her" Paige ordered as she glanced over at the brunette who was seemingly calm during the entire encounter thus far. It was obvious the beauty had her fair share of bruises, but Emily didn't seem phased. The cut on her eyebrow as well as lower lip was obviously brought on by a harsh attack, yet the brunette acted as though she had received worse; a tactic taught to recruits during their first year of training.

Leaning back against his chair, Caminiti placed one arm around the back rest before glaring at the auburn girl. After a few seconds of complete quietness, he continued talking. "When I got out, it took me a year to get my research on you together. A year" he repeated as he made his way back to another table located at the end of the room. Grabbing a vanilla envelope from the top of it, he continued. "I wanted to know everything about you. Your mom, Anna, 52" he stated as he placed a photo of the middle aged woman down next to the tray table by Paige. "Works the Organic Plantation in California. Alongside your father, Peter, 58" he continued as he placed another picture of the auburn girl's dad on the table. "Managing director of JP Morgan. Talk about opposites attract right? Your team. Skylar, David, Dylan and Aiden" he continued to reveal as placed a picture of her entire team for Paige to take a look at. "But that wasn't enough. So I went to your college records. Your friends Eric, Michael, Dana and Terry. But they didn't really seem like a lifetime friendship" Caminiti analyzed as he threw a stack of papers and photos down onto the tray table as well before walking around the auburn girl as he continued looking through the folder. "So I went back to your high school years. And I noticed you left early. And I thought, wow. Here was someone who couldn't wait to start college. But the way you acted in college didn't make sense" he revealed as he bent down to look Paige in the eye. "You acted as though you were forced to do that. I mean after researching your parents, I know for sure your mom wouldn't force you to make that decision. That's when I researched your friends" he continued with a smile before getting up. "Spencer, Hanna, Aria and Emily. Spencer and you had a rival sort of friendship. You guys pushed each other. It was cute. Hanna was your little mascot. And Aria…well she was more of Emily's friend. And there's Emily" the built man stated as he gently grazed the brunette's cheeks as Paige watched in complete disgust. "The gorgeous girl who was not only athletic and beautiful, but was smart as well. You guys had this weird friendship. It was as though you were dating but weren't. And I'm here thinking…why not? I mean, granted you weren't exactly the looker. But I doubt that was the reason. Then again, this was high school. Love is far from people's thoughts when it comes to friendship. You don't realize what it is until it's threatened" he said with a smile before walking back over and placing yet another photo down onto the tray table. "Let's say by a certain blonde…that goes by the name of Alison DiLaurentis. The name of someone who could push a person to feel their insecurities and force them to run away. But we never forget our first love, do we? So here we are" he finally admitted as threw up his hands in complete revelation.

"What do you want?" Paige asked in a low voice.

"Well first, how about a thank you?" Caminiti asked with a smile.

"Excuse me?" Paige asked confused.

"I would like you to thank me" the grotesque man asked again. "For this…revelation between you and Emily. I mean, it's because of me you're finally together. Ish. Aria, was actually a mistake". Watching Paige's eyes widen as his statement, he continued. "I told my men to grab the brunette. I mean, I think even Spencer resembles Emily more than Aria. But it is what it is. I took care of him for his stupidity. However, I couldn't help enjoy watching you all scramble. It was amazing watching you squirm to try to get her back. And then Commander Fields! Now that, that was epic. Then, I wanted you to watch me take the one thing that will break you".

"Wanted?" Paige repeated as a quick movement of Emily's shoulder forced Paige's gaze to shift over to brunette; realizing the girl had been in fact working her way out of the handcuffs holding her to the chair.

Standing up in exhilaration, Caminiti confirmed her response. "Yes! Wanted! After watching you for weeks on end, I realized why I really hated you all this time. It wasn't because you took everything from me."

"Then what was it?" Paige asked.

"Because you were exactly like me when I was your age" the middle aged man answered. "Anxious. Determined. Strong minded. Everything I wanted Claire to be to take over the family business. You were my gift from the heavens. I earned you after all those years in prison"

Letting out a humorous laugh, Paige couldn't help herself from finding the situation hilarious. "You must be joking. Actually I think delusional is a better term. You honestly think I would work for you?"

"Well you do have two choices" the semi-grey hair man stated. "You could work for me and save the life of the woman you love. And maybe she could even be our receptionist or something. Or" he continued as he made his way over the brunette. "You could continue being the honorable ops officer you are right now and watch me show this woman what's she's missing in life" he stated as he grazed his hands down Emily's side before firmly planting his hand between the girl's legs.

The only think keeping Paige calm at the moment was the way Emily was looking at her; as though she knew she would be able to get out. While Caminiti was talking, revealing how and why he was coming after Paige; not only was Emily making her way out of her handcuffs using a small piece of wood she found while staying in the room of the abandoned hospital, but Paige was also making her own way out of the rope holding her against the chair using a thin needle she kept up the sleeve of her shirt. With the simple flinch of her eyebrow, Paige managed to ensure the brunette everything was going to be alright despite being surrounded by armed men.

The auburn girl knew her team was making their way over to them given the tracker in her tooth molding was still there. She only needed a few more moments before the lights would turn off thanks to Skylar's doing. Paige knew when she first told the team of her plan, she sounded like heated girlfriend. But the more she explained herself, the more they knew the plan was going to work. The team was in the perfect position to fool Caminiti. Allowing the mastermind behind all their recent antics believe he had the upper-hand; he was instead falling precisely into their own trap.

"Before I give you my word. I need you to promise me something" Paige stated as it earned her a victorious smile from the middle aged man as he stood up and firmly look at the auburn girl.

"Name it" Caminiti asked.

"Well first, I need you to tell me Aria and Commander Fields are okay" Paige ordered.

Taking in a deep breath as he narrowed his eyes at the auburn girl, Caminiti knew something was up. "There's no need to worry about them anymore"

"What does that mean?" the auburn girl swallowed as she began to think of the worse. Ever since they entered the area, there were no sign of either of them. And given the fear in Emily's eyes, Paige knew the brunette wasn't kept with them either.

Appreciating the slight fear in Paige's eyes, Caminiti figured the auburn girl was in fact making demands before her agreeing to him. "I haven't killed them if that's what you're thinking. I figured I might need them to get you over here but now that I have Emily, there's no need for them"

"There is" Paige blurted out earning her a curious look from both Caminiti and Emily. "If you promise me no harm will come to them and you let them free. I'll promise you both Emily and I would work for you"

"It's that easy huh" Caminiti questioned as he got to his feet and pulled out his phone. "You honestly believe I would just succumb to your so called word if I promise to let those two go? You should know better. You know I can't allow either of them to go. They've seen way too much"

Hearing the slight static on the phone was all Paige needed to hear before replying to the man who was the cause of all the distress in the past few weeks. Looking over to Emily, Paige glared right back at Caminiti. "I will make sure I personally kick your ass after I get out of this chair"

As though it happened right on cue, Paige watch as Caminiti made his way over to Emily right when the lights surrounding the girls suddenly shut off; sending everyone in an uproar. It took Caminiti's men a few seconds to grab their flashlights; but it was too late. By time they focused on the seats the girls were previously occupying, they were both gone sending Caminiti in complete rage. "Find them!" he shouted as he made his way out of the double doors just as the rest of Paige's team came in with their own weaponry taking care of the rest of the men within the room.

Paige immediately came out of hiding from behind one of the cabinets once she heard her team earning Dylan to throw over her machete knives as well as her throwing knives. "You really had us there for a minute" the team coordinator stated. "If I blinked for a split second I would have missed you're the indication you did with your tongue toward that tooth molding back at the house"

"I figured you would have seen that" Paige smiled as she placed the machetes Skylar gave her across her back. "Ms. Montgomery and Commander Fields are within the building. We need to find them before Caminiti's men can reach them" the auburn girl commanded as Emily made her way out from behind Paige. "I'm going after Caminiti" making her way out of the room. "Do not let Emily out of your sight"

* * *

It didn't take Paige long to figure out where Caminiti would have went. After doing her own research on the trafficker, the auburn girl knew he wouldn't just leave out of the front door. There was always a second exit. Putting on the ear piece Dylan had given her, the brown eye beauty immediately connected to David.

"Dave, I need to know all the possible exits out of this building without leaving through the obvious exits" Paige ordered.

"Welcome back McCullers. There's a tunnel under us which leads over to Pecan Grove. If he gets there, he could be anywhere Paige" the team coordinator revealed.

Running a bit faster to the basement, Paige confirmed she heard Dave before losing connection. Making her way down the dark metal staircase, the auburn girl steadied her pace before using her other senses to protect herself from any attack Caminiti may have against her.

The first obstacle she began encountering were a few of Caminiti's gun men who started blasting their AK-47 toward the auburn girl; allowing Paige to not only dodge the bullets by jumping over the railing, but heaving her throwing knives over to 3 of the 4 men as the sudden appearance of one of Dylan's arrows pierced the 4th man. Smiling at her team member, the two continued making their way down the hallway as the sudden appearance of a few other men belonging to Caminiti made an appearance forcing not only Dylan to deposit a few of his arrows but for Skylar to draw out her own gun to help take care of the other men.

"Fields and Aria are safe outside with the backup. Aiden and Dave are making their way over to Pecan Grove to make sure one of us gets to Caminiti on time" Skylar revealed as she joined her other two members to try to take care of Caminiti.

"Sounds like a plan" Paige agreed before the three make their way back down the dark tunnel. "Were they hurt?" the auburn asked concerned.

Turning to face the team co-lead, the hazel eyed officer gave Paige a sympathetic smile. "Aria looks pretty bruised and pale. Commander Fields has a stab wound to his side. But they're going to be just fine"

Taking in a deep breath to control her temper, Paige simply nodded before they were able to encounter several more of Caminiti's men before they finally exited the tunnel with no Caminiti in sight.

Gathering in a huddle, Aiden began passing his orders. "Scatter. He needs to be around here somewhere. Dylan stay in the park. Skylar, check all stores. Dave, focus on the corner stores. Paige-" Aiden began before being cut off by the auburn girl.

"I'm grabbing a drink" the brown eye beauty stated earning a confused look from the rest of her team as she made her way over the Grits bar toward their left.

* * *

"Whiskey straight" Paige ordered as she sat near one of the customers at the bar.

"I knew you were just as smart as you are gorgeous" the muscular patron stated as he took a sip of his drink.

"And I knew you were just as arrogant as you look" Paige retorted as she took a sip of her own drink.

"And what happens now?" Caminti asked.

"Now, I'm going to make you wish you never left that prison hole I put you in" Paige said with a small smile as she took another sip of her drink.

Paige didn't need her hindsight or a mirror to let her know Caminiti's next move. She was able to use the shadows surrounding the venue as she watched as Caminiti threw his drink toward her; forcing the auburn girl push herself back from the bar stool. Taking out her machetes from behind her back, Paige watched thoroughly as Caminiti took out his own blade ready to defend himself.

"Now you have me" Paige stated she placed herself in a defensive stance. "My team isn't here. And neither are your men. So why don't you come at me like you want too"

The ops officer didn't need to wait long for Caminiti to do just that. Despite the fact that he was in fact a middle aged man, the girl knew the man did have experience with the blade. As the two began battling it out inside the bar, the rest of the customers along with the bartender made their way out of bar; allowing the two to make use of the newly exposed space to their advantage.

As images of Caminiti placing his hands over Emily began appearing in Paige's memory, it cause the auburn girl to be even more determined in making sure the man would not escape this time around. What she didn't count was the middle aged man acting equally as determined to not be put back in jail. With the two fighting for their lives, Paige was able to disarm the sturdy man from his blade just as Caminiti managed to break one of Paige's machetes as the other flew out of reach.

Standing once again at equal stance, Paige didn't hesitate to quickly do a side kick followed by a strong cross punch; forcing Calminiti to lose his balance. Quickly getting back to his feet, the middle aged man suddenly took out his gun that he managed to hide from sight as he pointed it at the auburn girl.

"Unlike you, I'm not afraid to use my gun" Caminiti stated just as an arrow became embedded in his right hand; forcing him to drop his weapon.

"Now you just decided not to play fair" Paige replied with a smile. "You see. If you use your weapons. I need to use mine. I believe you remember my team? You managed to find something on all of them while researching me. You should have done a better job at learning some defensive moves" the brown eye beauty admitted.

Watching as her team surrounded the man, Paige took a step back to control her anger as Aiden came over to her.

"Every time I think you're going rogue, you do something like this steer my conscious back" the leader of the stated as he pointed to his cellphone; indicating Paige had contacted the team the second she found Caminiti.

"Well this one was a bit personal" the auburn girl admitted as she kept her gaze on the man who had it out for her. "He had done so much research on me. And everyone who ever encountered me. He has the ability to basically kill anyone that was close to me"

"He won't" Aiden promised. "Especially since he escaped in the first place. Commander Murphy won't allow that to happen"

Keenly watching as David and Dylan brought the man out in handcuffs as Skylar followed them out with her own weapon on him, Paige simply nodded her head. "I really hope you're right. He's going to torture Emily if he ever does. And I mean in every way possible"

"Hey, we won't let that happen" Aiden tried assuring the girl once again. "Plus Commander Fields will make damn well sure of it. I'm pretty positive he'll be handling the whereabouts of Caminiti after this. I'm sure his team would love him as target practice"

Nodding as she heard her co-lead, Paige returned her glare back to the man who started this entire case. The man who wanted to see everything she ever cherished crumble before her. Taking in a deep breath to calm her nerves, Paige calmly walked over to Caminiti without removing her gaze from the grotesque man. All she needed was that one signature smirk from the man; which he happily obliged. Swiftly performing an elbow strike across the man's face, the jab forced Caminiti unconscious; just as Paige returned his smirk.

* * *

The instant Commander Fields, Aria and Emily were freed from Caminiti's hold, they were placed within the protection of Commander Murphy who immediately flew them out to base to make sure they were far from any counter attack. Paige wasn't able to ensure the girl's safety after she left Emily during the raid. However the auburn girl knew she was safe. All she wanted to do was run toward the brunette and just hold her; but Caminiti filled her mind with a different alternative.

Caminiti went through extensive research to find the best person he could hold over the auburn girl; but he started from the recent. If Emily was in her life, she would be the first person anyone would use against her. Caminiti himself had to do his own analysis of their friendship to determine just how in love she was with the girl. Paige couldn't risk placing Emily in that position again. The image of the man putting his hands on the brunette was embedded in Paige's memory. There was no objection to how beautiful Emily was. Caminiti was right. Any man or woman would want to be with someone like her.

As their plane landed on the Navy Lake Site of Georgia, the team was immediately greeted by Commander Murphy along with several of his other commanding forces.

"Congratulations" the well-built man acknowledge as they made their way out of the large Boeing. "Commander Fields and the other four civilians are waiting inside. Plus Commander Mahoney as well Director Adams are both on the line awaiting your arrival"

"Thank you sir" Aiden spoke up as he shuck the commanding officer's hand. "Can't wait to finally close this case"

Paige wasn't sure if she would agree with Aiden. She was more than thankful for finally catching Caminiti, but she didn't know what to do now that everything was over. She couldn't just insert Emily back into her life; it was too dangerous. Making her way into the large office building, the auburn girl was immediately engulfed in a huge hug by the small petite brunette who was the reason of why the case opened in the first place.

"Paige!" Aria exclaimed as she refused to let go of the tall auburn girl. "I have no idea how I could ever thank you. I can't believe after all this time, you were the one to come back to save me"

"Well I was the reason why you got kidnapped in the first place" Paige stated as she couldn't help but gaze her eyes over over the smaller girl. Skylar was right. Aria looked as though she had gone through hell with the amount of bruises over her. But the fact that was still in good spirits gave Paige the luxury of knowing they didn't mentally torture her.

Suddenly drifting her eyes toward a tall figure from behind Aria, Paige clenched her jaw as she found herself watching as Emily slowly approached the pair. About to open her mouth to speak, the brown eyed officer soon heard a familiar voice from behind her.

"Officer McCullers" Immediately turning around, Paige felt herself smile wider than she had in a while as she saw the man who recommended her team to the case; the man who seemingly like her own father.

"Commander Fields" Paige greeted with a warm hug; bringing the commanding officer closer to her. Paige felt as though the imperious officer always had a unique way with her. Despite feeling as though she endangered basically everyone she cared about, Commander Fields always and an aura about him that shielded Paige from any negative thoughts. He always trusted her gut. He respected every decision she had always made. That was something Paige could never thank him enough for.

"It's good to see you Paige. It's been way too long" Commander Fields acknowledged. "I knew you would be the perfect person for this case"

Nodding her head in disbelief, Paige looked up at her the figure from her past. "I'm so sorry Commander Fields. I honestly never meant to put you or Emily or Aria in any danger"

"You're speaking to me here. A commanding officer. I've had years upon years upon years of that self-doubt. Don't think for one second that I blame you. You honestly think you could disappear from me when you decide to go into my line of work?" Emily's dad asked with a smile. "I've been watching you every step of the way. I couldn't have been more proud of you the moment your name came up when you were admitted to the program. But I also respected your decision to stay hidden for all these years"

"Thank you sir" Paige replied as a small tear fell from her eyes. Noticing the certain brunette making her way over to her dad; Paige felt as though the stars had heard her silent plea as the sudden voice of her director and commanding officer from Rosewood appeared on the screen to congratulate the team.

Shifting over to the rest of her team members, Paige could feel the brunette's intense stare on her back as she tried focusing her attention onto the screen before her. Letting her curiosity take the best of her within a few minutes, Paige couldn't help but shift her gaze over toward Emily; only to feel her heart break. Emily was in fact paying attention to the screen as well, but Paige knew she was broken given her stance. Watching the bruises the brunette had to endure while in captivity, Paige couldn't take it; and that was only the physical bruises from what Paige could see. It was clear what Paige needed to do; she had to let Emily go. She couldn't live her life knowing Emily's was in danger.


	21. Chapter 21

**Siophiefandom:** Thank you for reviewing! And for reviewing all along! I truly appreciate it and glad you liked the story! BTW…can't wait to read the next chapter of 'Harden My Heart'

 **Guest1/Warrior29/Guest4:** Thank you so much for the reviews! Hope you like the next and last chapter!

 **EmGarretson22:** I guess you are right! I am only left with one option. Let me know what you think!

 **Guest2/Guest3/Guest5** : I'm a Paily fan! Just remember that! I'm not cruel!

 **Naiel2017** : Glad to see you again! Hope everything is good on your end. I love your quote btw. "To live we have to fight". I'm going to use that. Thanks as always for reviewing!

 **Sofiadc66** : Yeahhh, I'm really good at building up the moment when it comes to bad guys…but I can't really find it in me to make him super evil when we do finally get to meet them. SO I'm sorry for that! Hanna will forever be a Paily shipper. There's no doubt about that. I love how you broke down the last chapter and told me how you felt about everything. You do know you kinda pieced together how the story would end right? KINDA! This is definitely a bittersweet moment for me right now since it is my last chapter. But that you as always for the support.

 **CaliGrlFoLife** : I hope you're doing well over there and that anxiety attack is kinda tamed. If not…hope this chapter helps!

 **GirlfromGermany:** Thank you for the review! Emily definitely needs Paige in her in life…and vice versa. Time heals everything. Glad you like the story thus far!

 **Pailyshark** : It broke my heart writing the chapter…but don't you worry! The next chapter is here.

 **Thecatfromaliceinwonderland** : First off, I would like to thank you SO much for all the reviews and PMs (I'll be replying soon!). It makes writing worthwhile. And second, I do have to admit I was a bit disappointed in the outcome of Caminiti and Paige but I really can't write a truly evil badguy. I just know how to do the build-up lol. SO I like your idea for a solution…hehe. Hope the last chapter doesn't disappoint!

 **A/N** : As you all might have noticed, this is the last chapter. I'm so thankful for everyone that has read and reviewed this story! It was my first time writing an action kind of story and wasn't too sure how it would turned out. BUT I do have to admit I loved every week of it. Thank you again! Feel free to PM me anytime! Hope everyone has a great Valentine's Day or Single's Day!

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Pretty Little Liars or any of its characters**

A single tear fell from Paige's right eye as she drifted off thinking about the notion of having to leave Rosewood once again. Wiping it quickly with the back of her left hand, the auburn clenched her jaw to try to hold herself together. Even after everything they've been through, Paige knew she had to leave. She had to keep the girls safe. She had to keep Emily safe. That was the price she had to pay for turning her back on the one person that meant to the most to her so many years ago. People were always going to use the closest people to her against her; she couldn't let that happen again. She refused to.

Closing her eyes to try to relish in the feel of being in her old room again, the tender voice that managed to get embedded into her mind resurfaced behind her. "I'd ask you not to go…but we already know how that turned out"

Parting her lips at the statement, Paige quickly tightened her jaw before turning around slowly; only to find herself face to face with the reason to why the decision was causing her so much heartbreak. "Em"

* * *

 *****8 Years Ago*****

"Please don't go" Paige softly heard from behind her.

Swallowing the sudden lump in her throat, Paige froze for a second as she felt the air in the room abruptly disappear. Trying to compose her emotions, the brown eyed girl took in a deep breath before continuing to fold her clothes; placing them in the large plum traveler's suitcase that laid on her bed. "I have to" she simply responded.

"Why?" the brunette asked tearfully as she walked closer to Paige. Kneeling on the corner of the bed when the auburn girl refused to look her in eyes, Emily continued. "Why right now? Take another flight" she asked trying to figure out why the girl was such in a rush to leave.

"It's not going to get any easier" Paige muttered as she turned toward her closet to focus on a few boxes on the top shelf.

Emily could feel her eyes tearing up as she watched the only girl she's ever felt connected to turn away from her. "Why are you doing this? You never even mentioned the possibility to me about graduating early" the tanned beauty asked. "Now I hear, not only did your application for graduation get accepted but you're moving to California? Why am I hearing about this from Spencer? Why didn't you just tell me?" Emily continued asking as she watched Paige continue to avoid all eye-contact. "Can you look at me?" she finally exclaimed as she waited for the auburn girl to turn around. "What is going on? The truth Paige"

This was the moment Paige had been waiting for. The moment she had been rehearsing in her head for days. But all thought went out the window the second Emily entered her room. How was she supposed to tell the girl she fell in love with this was merely for school? The thought of just lying to brunette made the heat rise as Paige felt a flush of warmth radiate through her ears and cheeks as they began turning red. Clearing the dryness in her throat, Paige finally began. "I got accepted to Stanford since last year but I kept declining it since I wanted to finish senior year with you guys" she started as she tried to keep her voice strong. "But I realized I'm just pushing off this amazing opportunity for no reason. I could start college early and get my masters or even PhD when the rest of our class finishes with their undergraduate degree" she stated trying to convince the brunette about her sudden perplexed behavior.

"When did you start caring about finishing earlier?" Emily asked confused.

"I don't" Paige answered honestly as she continued placing her clothes in her luggage. "I didn't. I just think maybe then I could start a fellowship at Livermore sooner so my life will finally begin"

"Your life?" Emily angrily stated at the thought of Paige thinking her life in Rosewood wasn't part of her future. "This is your life. Right here. Right now".

"No" Paige frustratingly shouted as she finally looked at Emily. "I'm just stuck in this bubble called Rosewood. I want to see what else is out there. This town. These people can't just be it. There has to be something bigger out there."

Confused of why Paige was thinking like this, Emily looked down at her folded hands as she tried to allow everything to sink in. "When you start thinking like this? How come you didn't tell me how badly you wanted to get out of here" she asked heart brokenly.

"Because I didn't realize how badly I needed to get out here until-" the auburn harshly began before realizing what she was about to tell Emily the truth.

"Until when?" the brunette softly asked as she looked into the same glazed brown eyes she once felt at home with.

Combing back her hair in frustration, Paige thought of the easiest excuse she could come up with. "Until Ms. Russo showed me the potential and experience I could gain by starting early. She handed me a bunch of brochures before but I never looked at them until winter break. California just looked amazing."

Emily licked her bottom lip as she watched how agitated the girl she always thought of as her better half was behaving. Knowing this had to do somewhat with Alison, Emily didn't want to just bluntly ask, but needed to do something to get the girl to stay. "When did you start lying to me?"

"I'm not lying" Paige mumbled.

"I could tell when you're lying Paige. You can't even look at me" Emily stated as she stood up to stand before the girl. "Is this because of Alison?" she finally asked.

Letting out a soft breath, Paige didn't want to think about the blonde. "This is because of me. This is what I want" the auburn shakenly replied as she observed Emily look down in defeat. "Just like I want…you to do the same. You deserve the best of everything. You deserve to follow your heart and want what you want without regretting it" she began as she took a step forward toward the brunette. Just because Paige knew she wasn't right for Emily didn't mean she didn't want the best for her; that she didn't want her to be happy. "You and I have become so close that any change in our relationship affects the other significantly. So I think…this is for the best" she honestly stated. "For us to figure out who we are and what we truly want"

"This isn't fair" Emily tearfully mumbled.

Going in for a tight a hug, Paige wanted to shield the brunette from any hurt she was causing her but knew she had to leave. If she didn't, Paige knew she was the one that would end up getting hurt instead. "Maybe not. But right now this is what's supposed to happen to us" Breaking the hug, Paige lifted her hands to brunette's cheeks as she wipe the girl's eyes before gripping lightly onto the beauty's face. "I love you" she simply stated as she held the girl's gaze. "And it's because I love you I need to walk away"

Emily wasn't entirely sure of what cause the sudden impromptu decision on the auburn girl's behalf. Paige wasn't the type of person who would just up and leave; but Emily needed to respect the girl's decision. "Promise you'll come back to me" Emily whispered as tears continued to fall from her eyes.

Paige couldn't promise that. She knew she was still confused about everything she was feeling. The brown eyed girl knew the brunette was only doing what her heart was telling her to do. And now Paige had to do the same. But she could never find it in her to lie to someone who meant as much to her as Emily did.

* * *

 *****Present Day*****

"Please, just answer me one thing" Emily begged as she stepped closer toward Paige. "Please tell me…you meant it when you told me you loved me"

"It's because I love you which is why I'm doing this" Paige answered; honestly trying to bestow her actions onto the girl. "What I want would put your life in danger. I care about you more than you know. I want you to be safe-"

"So be with me" the brunette pleaded. "Stay here with me"

"Caminiti was a peach compared to the other men out there Em" the auburn girl stated trying to get the girl to understand why she was doing this. "If I stay, I put your life in danger every day. My enemies would come after you any chance they can get"

"If you leave you put my life in danger as well. That's how Caminiti found us!" Emily retorted. "That's why he went after Aria and my father. You think leaving is going to stop that?"

"The more distance I put between us the more I can try" Paige replied. "And no one is going to touch you, be sure of it. I'll have guards-"

"No" Emily shouted. "I refuse for any more of your watch dogs to be outside my door. I just want you to be with me. I want to wake up every day next to you. I want to come home to you. I want to kiss you whenever I want"

Closing her eyes as the brunette began listing everything she wanted as well, Paige could feel herself shaking. "Em-"

"Why don't you want me? Am I not good enough for you?" Emily asked heartbrokenly as tears began to fall from eyes.

Paige felt livid as Emily asked her a question she thought the brunette knew the answer too. Parting her lips, Paige heatedly wrapped her arms around the brunette's waist as she leaned in and pressed her lips firmly against Emily's as too tell her just how much the girl meant to her. Pressing her body firmly against the tanned girl as she pushed them toward the wall for more leverage, Paige held Emily tightly before she broke apart the kiss and rested her forehead against the brunette's. "I've wanted you before I realized I wanted you" she began honestly. "I love you. I could feel how much I love by just standing next you. The moment I comprehended the fact that I was in love with you, I had to be near you every day or I'd feel like I couldn't breathe" she continued as she held the beauty's gaze. "I thought leaving you in high school would have gotten my mind away from you but it just intensified after that. That's why I kept checking up on you. Then…when I saw you, standing there in your sexy burgundy racer back shirt and army short shorts back at the training grounds, I just wanted to grab you and never let go"

"You should have" Emily whimpered.

"You haven't seen the things I've seen" Paige stated as she leaned back to put some distance between the two. "You haven't experienced the things I've experienced".

"Then let me" Emily begged.

"No" Paige replied angrily. "I don't want to ever have to go through any of that. The mere thought of having Caminiti just touch you drove me to a point where the team was going to ask me to sit this out" the auburn girl revealed. "I can't have that happen. I need to know you're safe. And the only way I could do that is having you here in Rosewood, away from me. Now that your dad is back home, he'll also make sure nothing happens to you"

"I need to be near you" the brunette admitted quietly.

Grazing Emily's lips with her thumb, Paige leaned in once again to place another kiss on the girl's lips. "I need the same. But your safety comes first to me and always will" the brown eye officer honestly stated. "I want you to promise me something"

"First your leaving me and now you want me to promise you something?" Emily retorted.

"I want you to promise me that after getting back to the norm of things. After your friends and you settle back down here…you'll at least try and move on" the auburn girl startlingly asked.

"Paige-" Emily angrily stated before the auburn girl continued.

"That you'll start dating and find someone-" Paige continued before it was Emily's turn to interrupt her.

"No" the brunette screamed as she shoved the auburn girl aside to allow her some room to breathe. "If that's what you want to do then fine. But don't ask me just to do that"

"McCullers, we're needed" a voice from behind the brunette suddenly ordered as the two girls shot the co-lead a glare; forcing him to retreat.

Snapping her head back toward the auburn girl, Emily refused to allow the girl to leave in the middle of their discussion. "You can't just leave our conversation like this"

"Em" was all the auburn girl was able to say as her eyes were pleading with the brunette.

Wiping her eyes dry, Emily licked her lips before taking in a deep breath. "Fine, just go"

"Em-" Paige began as she watched the walk to the far corner of her room.

"Just go" Emily shouted as she folded her arms to keep herself from falling.

Clenching her jaw as she saw how broken Emily was, Paige had to tell herself this was for the best. Slowly making her way toward the doorway, the auburn girl turned around one last time. "I really do love you"

* * *

Skylar watched in complete heartbreak as Paige focused her attention outside the plane window, ready to defend their next mission; but she easily saw how fragile the girl was. Taking a seat near the auburn girl, the hazel eye officer wanted to make sure her comrade was ok. "You okay?

"Yeah" Paige simply answered as she kept her attention outside.

"P, it's me" Skylar pushed.

"I got that" Paige harshly stated as she glared at the smaller girl.

The team tech was hardly one to back down of any situation. After endless nights of being right by Paige's side, Skylar knew the girl better than anyone. "If you love her that much, you should fight for her"

"Just stop talking" Paige bitterly responded.

"We know you love her" Skylar continued. "We could feel how much you love her. That look you get when she's around. Or your body stance. Your priorities"

"Just stop" the auburn girl pleaded.

Seeing Paige's wall come down a bit, Skylar knew she was finally getting through to her. "I know you're trying to protect her, but you can't just sacrifice your happiness for the sake of a job"

"It's for the sake of her safety" Paige retorted as she shifted her glance back toward Skylar.

"Wouldn't you rather protect her if she's closer rather than far away?" Skylar refuted.

"I can't just ask her to uplift her entire life to be with me" Paige countered.

"Why not?" Skylar simply asked.

Furrowing her eye brows toward the hazel eyed beauty, the auburn girl didn't understand why the girl was so confused by her actions. "You want me to ask her to leave her home. Her family. Her job. Her friends all just to be with me?"

"Yes" Skylar simply answered.

"No" Paige replied. "That's as selfish as you can get"

"And what you're doing isn't selfish?" Skylar asked as she noticed Paige's eyes widen in surprise. "You avoiding her and denying her of actually happiness. Isn't that selfish? Why are you so scared of being happy?"

"Because every time I think I'm happy it's ripped away from me okay?" the auburn girl revealed. "Every time I think I know what I want I realize I can't have it" she stated more calmly. "So I don't want anything. I just want to be, okay? Now how about you shut up and get the hell off this plane?" she stated as she opened the large metal doors for their jump.

* * *

Paige looked out into the still water of the Olympic size pool as she always did after most of her missions. Yet this time, it wasn't a deleterious memory that gravitated her toward the pool arena of her building; it was smell of chlorine that brought back vivid images of the brunette. Something she greatly needed. Ever since she decided to leave Emily back in Rosewood after everything they had been through, Paige felt a piece of herself dying every day. The auburn girl didn't know how she managed to already go through 3 weeks without seeing or hearing from Emily. Paige felt as though she living purely for the sake of her job. That was the only thing she was able to get up in the morning for.

Right after she left her old house for the case they were assigned to immediately, Paige wanted to just hurry back to headquarters to hear of any news concerning Emily. The case this time around managed to take only a few days. At first, Paige forced herself to try to let the brunette go. Refusing to look at any information given to her, Paige couldn't help but allow her imagination to take over. They were only a day into the mission when Paige just wanted to get back safely for the sake of seeing a picture of Emily.

Every day she had to tell herself she was making the right decision, but every day she felt as though she was lying to herself. Hearing the arena doors open behind her, Paige nodded her head as she always did knowing one of her team members were probably there to get her.

When silence continued to take over, Paige turned her head slightly to the left only freeze at the sudden sight of the last person she thought she'd be seeing there. "What…what are you doing here?" she stuttered out. "Did something happen?"

"Nope" the brunette simply answered as she continued walking around the pool to the other end.

"Uh, okay" Paige replied confused. "Did your dad call you here?"

"Nope. But maybe you should get back to your conference. I saw your team still going over a few side notes for your next mission" Emily stated as she kept her focus on a vanilla folder in hand. "Plus, I need this area to focus a bit"

"Focus?" Paige repeated.

"Yeah" Emily answered. "I heard new recruits could be a bit juvenile despite their age"

"New recruits?" the auburn girl reiterated again.

Closing her folder as Paige was obviously confused; Emily stopped walking and turned toward the auburn girl. "Are you going to repeat everything I say?"

"Probably since I think I'm missing something" Paige replied as she found herself slowly gravitating toward the brunette; craving a feel of the girl's olive skin.

"I'm the new officer in charge of training new recruits. I thought your team would have told you" the brunette revealed as she watched Paige's eyes widen in disbelief. "Based on your expression, I think I just broke the news to you." Clearing her throat to explain herself, Emily swallowed before continuing. "I uh, apparently impressed the senior officers while we were learning self-defense tactics. They liked the fact that I was dedicated to learning more than I should despite the time limitation. They were also impressed by how I was able to maneuver out of Caminiti's handcuffs. So, when we got back to headquarters and were waiting for your team to come back, they gave me this random question which turned out to be-" Emily tried explaining before Paige interrupted her.

"The test" Paige finished as couldn't help but feel somewhat elated.

"Yes. I'm not a field officer like yourself. But...they had offered me a position to train the new recruits given my swimming background. I also have to continue taking self-defense classes as part of the agreement" Emily revealed with a smile. "Everything was planned out when we came back from Georgia"

"Why didn't you tell me?" Paige asked seemingly out of breath.

"I was going too. But then you had a whole speech about why we couldn't be together and blah blah blah. Then you were called away" the brunette continued to reveal. "That's why I needed to know if you really loved me. Because I knew I loved you. I didn't want you to regret being with me. Of course there's a risk about our enemies. But there's no reward without risks. You can't just put your life on hold because you're scared. I rather be next to you if I'm ever attacked than faraway"

Paige could feel her heart pounding through her chest. Emily Fields was standing before her; telling her not only was she going to be working in her office building but wanted to be together. "So you've been here this entire time?"

"I stayed in Rosewood for a bit when you left to gather my things and to say my goodbyes to everyone" Emily admitted.

"You moved?" Paige asked with a smile as she began walking closer to the brunette.

"Yes" Emily confirmed.

"So you work here now" the auburn girl asked just to make sure.

"Yes" Emily confirmed with a smile.

"But your home, your family-" Paige started before hearing Emily say one word to stop her.

"You" the brunette interrupted.

"What?" Paige asked.

"You're my home" Emily stated as she began walking closer to the stunned brown eyed officer. "You're my family. You're just everything to me. Don't you get it yet?" she asked as looped her fingers around the girl's belt hoops to bring her closer. "You're my calm. You give me motivation to strive for the best. You challenge me. If you think your keeping me safe by staying away from me, I plan on proving you wrong. I work in the middle of a building full of the world's top trained officers and will be consistently trained myself. I don't care if you go out for missions because I'll be right here wai-"

Paige couldn't wait any longer. Dipping her head eagerly to grab the girl's lips between her, the auburn girl slowly pressed her lips against the brunette's soft mount as though she was memorizing every inch of the girl's mouth. Taking in a deep breath as she rested her head against the Emily's forehead, Paige looked into the brunette's eyes as she held the girl's waist. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I just keep running away. I'm sorry for-"

Just as the auburn began apologizing, Emily didn't care. Pulling the girl closer toward her, Emily got her stop talking as she placed her own lips against the girl's. "It's okay. I know why you did it. I'm not going to lie and say that it didn't hurt to see you walk away from me again. But I'm not going to lie that it won't hurt to see you go on dangerous missions. That I want you safe and not jumping from planes. But I know" she stated as she gave the auburn girl another peck on the lips. "And I'll be here every day you come back. And every time you get a mission like Ms. Claire Caminiti, I'll make sure you damn well won't forget-"

"That will be impossible" the auburn girl interrupted as she reveled in the feel of having Emily in her hands.

Cupping the brown eyed officer's cheeks, Emily pulled the girl down for another kiss as heard the girl moan the instant she parted her lips to allow her tongue to slip through. "Where's your phone?" the tanned beauty asked breathlessly.

Paige didn't bother ask for an explanation as she handed her android over without a question; only to watch Emily gently toss it on one of the benches before feeling the girl gently push her; falling immediately into the water. Resurfacing in complete shock, Paige watched as Emily entered the pool as well.

"I thought you had to prepare for your recruits" Paige asked breathlessly as she could observe in a complete daze as the brunette slowly began taking off her shirt to reveal her black lace bra.

"Nope" Emily answered with a smile. "Just needed you to ask the right questions so I could finally tell you that I'm here"

"Nice" the auburn girl whispered as she continued watching in a daze as Emily slowly swam closer to her; forcing her slowly shift backwards at the sudden tension that aroused around her.

"I think so" the brunette agreed as she couldn't help but smile as she watched Paige suddenly become shy at their proximity. Feeling her breathing become ragged at the lustful stare Paige was giving her, Emily placed her arms around the auburn girl's neck as she lifted herself ever so lightly to wrap her legs around the girl's waist before leaning in to finally devour the girl's lips.

Turning them around, Paige held Emily against the wall of the pool before shifting her kisses to the brunette's neck; then back up to the girl's lips. Lustfully gazing at the brunette, Paige turned the girl around to face the wall before shifting her hands under the Emily's black laced panties and gradually shifted three fingers directly into the girl's soaking opening. Upon impact, Emily let out a deep moan at how forward the auburn girl was and how much she needed to feel the girl in her.

Slowly at first, Paige began pumping as hard as she could as she resisted the urge of placing yet another finger into the tanned beauty's opening despite clearly seeing how wet she was even though they were _in_ the pool. Increasing their tempo, the auburn girl felt as though she was going to burst with pure ecstasy the instant she heard Emily cry out her name in profound pleasure. Paige knew the right movements to allow the brunette's orgasm to last for more than just a few seconds. As she was done, the auburn girl turned them back around to lean against the pool wall as Emily situated herself right between Paige's legs.

"You're shaking" Paige whispered as she placed a small kiss on the nape of the girl's neck; pulling the brunette's body closer toward her as she wrapped her arms tighter around the girl.

Emily could help but smile as she felt the warmth of Paige's body against her back as the auburn arms were wrapped securely around her; still feeling her body involuntarily flinch with ecstasy. "I can't stop by body from reacting to how good this feels" Standing silently against the corner of the pool wall, the girls relished in the feel of their bodies finally connecting with another. "I need you to talk to me okay?" Emily suddenly whispered. "If something is bothering you, don't just walk away from me. Just talk to me okay?" she stated as she turned around to look the girl in her eyes. "Don't break me again. I don't think I could take it. This is more than just physical for me. I really do love you"

"I promise you…I won't just walk away" Paige promised as she allowed her eyes to do the most of the promising. "I'll fight for you no matter what"

"Good" Emily accepted as she gave the girl a quick kiss. "So am I ever going to see your place?"

Smiling as she watched Emily swim proudly as their clothes remained on the pool floor, Paige licked her lips as she began treading water to catch up. "Are you doing anything for the rest of the day?"

"Nope" Emily answered as she began floating on her back. "Classes start tomorrow"

"Let's go" Paige simply stated as she didn't want to waste another minute without the brunette in her arms.


End file.
